Tell HN: The loneliness of a pretty good developer

>> This feeling of loneliness got quantified when the commit number came up.

What if instead of commits, it was the # of external contracts you are able to maintain per week.

If that doesn't make you feel better, then maybe you need to invest into building a portfolio that people can contact you externally, while you are still managing/maintaining more internally.

Additionally, when you work for yourself, you have the ability to set the terms upfront, to minimize meetings/back+forth communication, and you send one-way updates with progress updates..

My two cents. I've self-contracted for myself the past couple of years and I feel much better about myself.

It seems to me that being controlling is part of the problem. When I worked with a top developer, every and each code that I wrote they would have written it faster, more elegantly, more maintainable, and more bug-proof. But when they reviewed my PR, they would approve it if it was good enough. They would point out possible improvements, but once they were done, they would approve and go on. If they used their skill level as the bar to accepting other people's code, they would be doing 80% of the work and writing 80% of the code. In that case, I would be very comfortable just doing much less work than I could for some time until eventually I would get bored and leave.

Still, this top developer eventually changed areas completely (in the same company). From web development, which they mastered to cyber security, where they could start again their relentless pursuit for self-improvement, working with people that knew more than them.

That would be my suggestion. Just change areas, inside software development (inside the same company, if you like there, would be easier, as you already have the respect from people and they know your potential). Go learn something that you are not a top developer. But this is just me, a very regular developer, looking from outside what I saw people more similar to you doing.

If your exhausting yourself at a desk for 8 hours x5 until complete burn out...well...then you go from writing 80% to 0%. How does that help the company? It really doesn't, and your overall average drops real fast (even though your not there).

Others maybe already get this (or live like it anyway) and spend less time typing code. Taking care of yourself so you can continue to contribute 4-5x of others is far more beneficial for the company in the long run.

Think about the "10x" companies - FANNG if you will - they have bicycles for people to go between campusus's, entire gyms, foosball, etc, etc. They seem like insane perks to the outside world, but it's what give balance to the 10x'ers whom work there - and they do it on company time.

Good luck!