11–20 of 43 posts
I had a similar experience through grad school, and have felt perpetual burnout for the last 10 years. There's no right answer, but I recommend looking at the writing of Mr. Money Mustache and other FIRE (Financially Independent/Retire Early) literature (e.g., JL Collins, etc...) and pushing to save and invest as much as you can. I take great pleasure knowing that now, after about 10 years of work, I won't have to wo…
1. Read about FIRE. Live frugally and save 50% or more of what you make. At that rate, you can retire in your thirties. This is especially possible for us tech folks who make abnormally high salaries. A great first resource is Mr. Money Mustache. Read the entire blog from post 1 through to today. Take from him what makes sense for you and leave the rest. It will change your life and your goals. Or at least it did for me.
2. In the interim, be selective about your employers. Maybe you want to do software engineering for a non-profit that you care about? You probably won't make as much, but your day to day life will have more purpose if you know you are doing good in the world. Alternatively, if your goal is to stack up money as quickly as possible so you can retire as soon as possible, go for a more typical corporate job. But still be choosey. If you think advertising is a net negative in the world, don't go work for an advertising company. Find a team of people you enjoy working with so that at the very least, you have people around you who you like.
Overall, I don't think what you're going through is abnormal. We probably all go through something like this along our journey, so don't think it's something wrong with you. Surround yourself with good people. Think about what is most important to you and do that.
You can take a coding job later when you need to support your family that you started during your ski job. Your degree is not going to expire.
You can't take your SWE money to the grave. You have real passion for something -- many people would be jealous of that. Don't waste it.
Now is the time. You have your health and personal freedom. You may have less of these things in the future.
You don't need to sacrifice your 20s to an unpleasant corporate job be happy. You don't need to retire in your 30s to be happy.
Many people take several years for themselves before settling down into a corporate job.
It'll be scary to take the first few steps. That's normal. You'll be amazed at the opportunities that will present themselves to you if you self-actualize, plan for the future ($), and invest in friendships.
I left my job at 25 to through hike the Continental Divide Trail and couldn't be happier with the decision. Many of my friends are ski instructors, outdoor educators, climbing guides, etc and they couldn't be happier with their decisions. Many of us have found enjoyable, meaningful, and well-paying jobs in the outdoor rec industry as we've established ourselves.
PS Seriously, invest in your friendships.
Fast forward 8 years: I'm happy to be out of school. Studying is very tough but Physics in University is actually more interesting than anything in school. 5 years later I'm finished with my studies, there was some tragedy in the family and I'm heavily depressed and little confused.
Actually I wished I had taken a year off, taking some random job that barely pays me and enjoy myself the rest of the time.
Stupid as I was I still continued to work part-time and the other half of my time I co-found a startup. Afterwards I take on a 9-5 job in another city where I know nobody, all my colleagues being significantly older than me and slowly but surely life got more and more dull.
Another 8 years later and I find myself in a fundamental tone of being depressed, although I have truly enjoyable times at least once a week. Luckily I also work part time since a year, that definitely helped.
Let me repeat myself: if you feel 9-5 isn't for you and you feel overwhelmed, take some time off and enjoy yourself. You'll never gonna be that young again. (Also it is indeed possible to work part-time as an Enginner but expect job search being at least 10 times tougher and longer.)
Many people have no idea what they want to be and put no thought into it, so kudos to you. That’s huge!
Be a ski instructor. You can take a coding job later when you need to support your family that you started during your ski job. Your degree is not going to expire. You can't take your SWE money to the grave. You have real passion for something -- many people would be jealous of that. Don't waste it.
First step is knowing yourself, and you know you love skiing, ao as they say, 'party on wayne'
Be a ski instructor. You can take a coding job later when you need to support your family that you started during your ski job. Your degree is not going to expire. You can't take your SWE money to the grave. You have real passion for something -- many people would be jealous of that. Don't waste it.
What he/she said, plus it doesnt hurt to tinker with a toy software idea to have fun and keep you in your toes. I had a similare quarter life crisis and ended up leaving the service for a very different world and can say lot of the advice in this thread is so very true. First step is knowing yourself, and you know you love skiing, ao as they say, 'party on wayne'
First, mid-twenties are hard for lots of people. I kinda hated the last five years or so of my life. It's chaos, and most of the choices of post-Uni adulthood are shit.
However, there are some upsides. First, you have some time. Nobody is going to grudge you teaching people how to ski. You wouldn't be throwing anything away by doing that. It's actually a better idea than going into a job you're gonna hate, and not going to engage in.
That said, the 9-to-5 is also pretty nice. My feeling is a lot of what makes the mid-twenties horrible is a combination of stress, signifigant choices, and chaotic living situations. Sometimes when you have a 9-to-5, it's just the kind of steady, boring bread that you can build a fulfilling life around. You know, get kids and a wife, take up making model planes as a hobby. Go skiing. Read some good books.