You are overthinking it.
Why do you need money, now or in the future? Why does anyone need money?
The biggest bill in most households that aren't cooking meth is mortgage/rent payment.
I guarantee you if 99.9% of people lost their job today, their biggest concern is losing their home/living situation......NOT oh no, now I can't invest as much for that day that I hope I'm alive 30 years from now.
I'd argue you are under thinking it.
I'm not sure if my point is clearly coming across since you aren't directly addressing what I wrote, but I have both more freedom today and will have more later by not paying down my mortgage, even at a relatively high rate.