Accept the dissatisfaction :)
Software engineer, both frontend and backend.
Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
141–150 of 329 posts
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#142No post body was provided.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#143[deleted]
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#144You work too little. You equate minimum work with a dream job? Its too easy.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#145the fact that you wrote all this down tells me you are well on your way to practicing gratitude. Being mindful of all the things in your life that are going well goes a long way towards mental health
It is a goal of mine this year to practice gratitude. I started writing it down in a journal, and it feels powerful. A lot of emotions come out of it, good ones. I hope it will help me slow down a little.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#146At the end of the day a job where you only see your boss half an hour every two or three days and otherwise have no interaction is convenient but probably doesn't make you feel important. Better jobs are the ones where people listen to you. This is why you want to work for yourself. Only when people listen will your fragile ego will register that you matter. Otherwise retiring is probably better, then you can do what you please.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#147> Most days, I do not have to interact with anyone from work, not even customer contact.
You say that like it's a good thing. You may want to reconsider.
Also, always have a project. Something to aim for for a couple of years that stands out from the rest of your life. It can be anything. Building a house, raising a small child, starting a company, diving deep into a hobby, switching to an entirely different line of work for some time (I enjoyed teaching!), etc.
This may keep your inner adventurer happy, and makes for an interesting life to look back on.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#148You are describing the hedonic treadmill. Essentially, you become used to your surroundings, and while they are objectively great, from the perspective of inside your own head, this is now normal and you / your monkey mind wants more. There have been a lot of post floating around the internet with various solutions, the most popular being Stoicism > Positive Psychology / Happiness research > Buddhism / Meditation. I'…
The hedonic treadmill aspect is very relevant, but first we must wonder if perfectjob's work is fulfilling is its social value.
perfectjob (the author) never said the current job is making the world a better place.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#149Bro I'm 27 and I know as of now my job will probably never as satisfying as a I want. But is it a good job, I work with very interesting technologies, some interesting people and discover very interesting techniques, although the things I built is just some deluxe shit so some billionaires can be richer by exploiting a nicely painted set of data.
But it is mostly an easy job. It pays the bills handsomely. And I can take what I learn and use to help the communities I participate in.
Nothing will ever be perfect in that aspect and it shouldn't be.
Working for other people is never going to be as good as working in your little side projects, because that's how our capitalist society works and that's what we have to live with. All we can hope is try to make it better every day.
Re: Tell HN: I have the perfect job, why is it not enough?
#150There's a scene near the end of Chariots of Fire where Harold Abrahams confesses to an old friend that he's more afraid of winning the race than losing it. Winning the race means losing his purpose. Contrast with the other racer in the story, Liddell, a devout Christian who races for God's glory. His purpose transcends any wins or losses on earth. It's an ancient problem. (I'm not suggesting that you embrace religion…
"You know, it's very strange..."