My hunch is a pros and cons list would be basically the same list for just about everyone.

Flying for the airlines is a big deal. So you are going to need a "bigger deal" to make it worth it, probably being successfully self employed making very good money.

The one thing that will keep you going and make it possible for you to leave the career is the knowledge that you have logged x amount of hours and have x amount of experience which means you will be able to go back if you absolutely just have to. And you can go back!

In a perfect world, there would be part time airline pilots who could fly a few hours per month and then just walk away till next month.