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Ask HN: What keeps you going?

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Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#31

Post by ingvarai »

docker_up wrote: post #25

I've been programming for 25+ years. I still love programming. Never wanted to be a manager. The challenge of coding, solving problems, and being well-paid for it make me very happy. I'm currently sitting in my kitchen, working from home, looking out my deck onto SF Bay. This is not a lifestyle I would have been able to accomplish being a chemical or mechanical engineer, a biologist, an accountant, etc. I truly feel…

Programming is an art, and you, and me too, we are like artists in the meaning we juts don't want to give up being creative, and solving challenges is a large portion of the reward we get. Besides of the money of course, we all need that.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#32

Post by rollcat »

I'm 30 and been doing software as a day job for a decade, and as a hobby for three.

Other than being passionate about coding, what keeps me going is taking regular breaks - small and big. And by break, I mean stuff that has absolutely nothing to do with computers: downhill longboarding, hitch hiking, sailing, etc ;)

The industry pays really well, even on average, so taking a 1-2 month break between jobs is totally doable. Finding a job in tech that allows you to balance work&life is a bit harder, but if you're any good, it's gonna be you choosing the employer, not the other way around.

Recommended reading: http://expatsoftware.com/

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#33

Post by arkis22 »

I'm not surprised your feeling has dissipated. A computer really can do anything you can think of. After that, I'm not surprised your utility from that has disappeared.

There are a lot of different types of jobs in the world. Most require you to sit at a desk in a suit and attend meetings. Programming is fun because problems come in text format and you can solve them in a sense that more abstract disciplines cannot, i.e if you run code and it does what you want, you solved your problem. If you want true happiness, solve problems you care about. That true happiness is rare in any industry though. You probably maximize it if you're your own boss.

The only thing that can keep you going is you. Try to understand what you love and do what you love until you knock it out of the park.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#34

Post by Hoasi »

ironjunkie wrote: post #17
guitarbill wrote: post #6

It helps if you’ve had other jobs. Pretty much all jobs have downsides and therefore “suck”. I think loving your job is a dangerous phantasy sold to CS grads to get the them work longer. It doesn’t mean you have to hate every minute, you can enjoy parts of it. But passion should be reserved for hobbies outside of work (unless you work for yourself). Be a professional - do it for the money mainly, and don’t put up wit…

This is my biggest take away after almost a decade working in this industry. "Love your job" has been sold to me thousands of times. Yet, I think that people that say they love their job lie to themselves. It is also very unhealthy. Let's do a quick game. If you had all the money in the world, would you still do your job? Probably not. I highly advocate for balance in your life. A job needs to be done properly, and o…

> Let's do a quick game. If you had all the money in the world, would you still do your job? Probably not.

Just one data point but I absolutely would.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#35

Post by bluGill »

ironjunkie wrote: post #17
guitarbill wrote: post #6

It helps if you’ve had other jobs. Pretty much all jobs have downsides and therefore “suck”. I think loving your job is a dangerous phantasy sold to CS grads to get the them work longer. It doesn’t mean you have to hate every minute, you can enjoy parts of it. But passion should be reserved for hobbies outside of work (unless you work for yourself). Be a professional - do it for the money mainly, and don’t put up wit…

This is my biggest take away after almost a decade working in this industry. "Love your job" has been sold to me thousands of times. Yet, I think that people that say they love their job lie to themselves. It is also very unhealthy. Let's do a quick game. If you had all the money in the world, would you still do your job? Probably not. I highly advocate for balance in your life. A job needs to be done properly, and o…

While I probably wouldn't do my job, I do believe I would do something similar for an open source project.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#37

Post by badminton1 »

As a part of society, you receive a lot.

Food, water, shelter, security, all sorts of services and conveniences... all of them requiring time from different people and the sacrifice of countless plants, animals and the environment.

What keeps me going is working hard to make those sacrifices count.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#38

Post by rhn_mk1 »

Being able to do things that I believe in.

I haven't seen many others mention this, most focus on basic sustenance, passion or luxurious life.

For me, the part of life worth living is that I get to do things that advance my personal values, which, while related to coding, are not necessarily any of those. As someone else suggested, having all the money in the world wouldn't make me change jobs.

I feel this question can be rephrased as "what is the meaning of life?". Is coding a mean to reach it? I'm sure that pursuing the meaning will keep anyone going.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#39

Post by ams6110 »

I'm 50+. More and more ready to chuck it. Or at least take a long sabbatical.

I have the funds to do it, probably. My parents both worked until they were about 70 and neither lived to see 75. So I'd like to avoid that ending.

If I do, I think I will go tech-free for a while. No internet, no cable TV. Books, some other non-tech hobbies. If I really need to look something up I can go to a coffee shop with a tablet. Sounds very tempting.

Re: Ask HN: What keeps you going?

#40

Post by ecwilson »

As a programmer, you have a highly leveraged ability to affect change in the world. Some people are driven by the programming itself -- the art of it, the isolated problems to solve in a satisfying and elegant way, and the decent salary that comes with it. But for others, perhaps including you, it's a means to an end. What's your end?

Do you want to change people's lives, or make their lives better?

Do you want to have an outsize financial impact on a company and be appreciated for it?

Do you want to create something new alongside people you really enjoy?

Do you want to help shape the world in a positive way using technology?

Do you just want to have a comfortable, secure living and focus on other things (family, hobbies, etc)?

Are you driven by being the best at what you do?

Etc

I'm a PM, not an engineer, but I love creating things that materially improve people's lives in some way. That brings me deep satisfaction.

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