Worth considering this hard question: who optimized their life better? Them or us?
In particular, except maybe for some work in US national security, don't try to have the applied math of applied optimization for a career. Don't spend a lot of time studying optimization.
Later might be able to be the founder, COB, CEO of a startup where some math is a big advantage.
It pains me to say this, but might it ever crossed your mind that the problem does not lie in applied mathematics of even optimization?
We need soft skills to push the output from hard skills, and interacting with decision-makers requires people skills, not hard skills.
If you can't communicate with someone, it doesn't really matter what the numbers say. Do you get what I mean?