This is my income situation as well.

Career investments have a higher ROI than side hustles for me.

That's surely the case for everybody? I can't imagine bothering to go to work for less money than I'm making in the evenings/weekends - why not do the 'side hustle' full time instead, or use the time for something new, or family, or whatever.

Do you still think index funds like Vanguard Total World is good to invest in now, as you watch stock market slowly losing steam this year?

I do not know, but I am not changing strategy.

This year, just like I did for the past 10, I invested all my paycheck savings into VTI/VXUS despite suffering 6 figures unrealized losses from them. I plan on doing the same next year, and for as long as I am employed/have disposable income. Every spare dollar I find, outside of my emergency fund, gets immediately invested.

Investing if like being a batter where you get to choose when to swing and have an unlimited number of pitches. Just wait for that slow easy one, and hit a home run. -- poorly paraphrased Buffett quote

Not the GP, but I would say yes. I am 51, and I have seen a few economic boom and bust cycles.

I think you can almost boil it down to: if you think civilization will collapse, then do not buy stocks. If you think it will still be around, buy stocks. Things might look bad over the next few years, but I think things will get better after a while.

Yes, because I like buying things for a lower price than a higher price.