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You are not your job

jry.io

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Re: You are not your job

#101

Post by satisfice »

tomekw wrote: post #55

I used to BE a software engineer. Then, I experienced a 3 years long burnout and got professional help. Now I work AS an Engineering Manager. You are not your job. Do not put your ego in what you do. That’s something I discuss a lot during my 1:1s.

I’m sorry you had trouble with this, but I don’t understand the problem. I really don’t.

I am a tester. I’ve been a tester for 39 years. I’ll be a tester until I die, whether or not anyone pays me for it. At some point, you believe I am going to… collapse or something?

I have been burned out. Before I was a tester, I was a video game developer. I didn’t get the vitamins from that for the nourishment of my soul, and I DID collapse. In my experience, burnout has nothing to do with ego investment. It has to do with forcing one’s self to do something that isn’t a fit.

Once I learned about staying within my limits, I ceased having trouble with burnout. It had nothing to do with investing my identity into my chosen work.

BTW, I am a tester. I am also a father, a husband, an American, a philosopher, and a teacher. All these things are in me. As I turn 60, I am also beginning to embrace a new identity: old man.

Re: You are not your job

#102

Post by zinodaur »

musicale wrote: post #99

> You are not your job. You're a person first. Your ability to connect, be present, and make people feel understood is what makes you irreplaceable to the people around you, which is the only market that counts. True, but losing your job is still a big deal. It often means that you lose your income, your health insurance (in the US at least), many (if not most) of your daily interactions with other people, and your s…

[flagged]

Re: You are not your job

#103

Post by tdeck »

musicale wrote: post #99

> You are not your job. You're a person first. Your ability to connect, be present, and make people feel understood is what makes you irreplaceable to the people around you, which is the only market that counts. True, but losing your job is still a big deal. It often means that you lose your income, your health insurance (in the US at least), many (if not most) of your daily interactions with other people, and your s…

> Your ability to connect, be present, and make people feel understood is what makes you irreplaceable

They say this to a group of people that often struggles with all of these but still have managed to make a living off of solving technical problems in the past. Don't worry, you can just fall back on your famously great people skills!

Re: You are not your job

#104

Post by musicale »

zinodaur wrote: post #102
musicale wrote: post #99

> You are not your job. You're a person first. Your ability to connect, be present, and make people feel understood is what makes you irreplaceable to the people around you, which is the only market that counts. True, but losing your job is still a big deal. It often means that you lose your income, your health insurance (in the US at least), many (if not most) of your daily interactions with other people, and your s…

[flagged]

> in the US, you can get another one much more quickly than anywhere else in the world

Depending on the economic conditions for the year, it can still take months:

> To illustrate the recent trajectory: one analysis found that in January 2023 it took job seekers 268 days on average to land a job offer, whereas by August 2024 this had improved to 182 days (about 6 months) (How Long Does it Take to Find a Job in 2024?). Another dataset focusing on tech jobseekers showed a similar trend – those in 2024 took about 247 days on average to secure a “good” job, down from 281 days in 2023.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/average-job-search-time-tech-...

Re: You are not your job

#105

Post by carlosjobim »

cermicelli wrote: post #95
block_dagger wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Within a few years I think UBI or UBS will be required for people to continue living, in which case basic needs (bills) won't be a concern. There's just no way for us to transition fast enough to avoid high unemployment as AI replaces large swaths of jobs. I do worry about the ~10 year transition it will take for societal governments to react.

Only way UBI works is if the govts increase taxes on all income or any income to almost 90%+... And then re-distribute to each person accordingly. That ain't happening, no govt will be willing to try that, and rich won't let that happen, they will become slightly rich from very rich. that just ain't happening.

Have you heard about the last century? A few governments did that. You had to stand in line for food and your basic goods.

Re: You are not your job

#106

Post by jojobas »

You are what utility you deliver to others. I doubt they'll keep feeding, dressing and sheltering you for your ability to connect, be present and whatever.

Re: You are not your job

#107

Post by carlosjobim »

andai wrote: post #73
cedws wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think UBI is a pipe dream. I live in the UK and even with our social safety net which is much stronger than the US's, I can't imagine the government ever handing out money adequate to live a middle class life to large chunk of the population. UBI has problems that far as I know haven't been addressed. Vast numbers of people no longer being occupied doesn't seem like it would lead to a healthy society. And how do yo…

Recently: Ireland rolls out basic income scheme for artists https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46977175 Not quite UK, and not very big, but somewhat promising :) >How do you uphold democracy https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-poli... >Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government…

> Not quite UK, and not very big, but somewhat promising :)

Rulers have given stipends to artists and scholars for hundreds of years. There's hardly anything new about it.

Make the art or science that satisfies the duke or the glorious district chairman and you will be on the receiving end of these benefits.

Re: You are not your job

#108

Post by zinodaur »

musicale wrote: post #104
zinodaur wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> in the US, you can get another one much more quickly than anywhere else in the world Depending on the economic conditions for the year, it can still take months: > To illustrate the recent trajectory: one analysis found that in January 2023 it took job seekers 268 days on average to land a job offer, whereas by August 2024 this had improved to 182 days (about 6 months) (How Long Does it Take to Find a Job in 2024?)…

The whole world is hurting pretty bad right now when it comes to tech jobs - America seems to be hurting the least.

I'm not saying the tech job situation in America isn't bad - but the world dances to America's fiddle, and its frustrating hearing Americans complain about how hard their situation is while their boot is firmly planted on my neck

Re: You are not your job

#109

Post by musicale »

zinodaur wrote: post #108
musicale wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> in the US, you can get another one much more quickly than anywhere else in the world Depending on the economic conditions for the year, it can still take months: > To illustrate the recent trajectory: one analysis found that in January 2023 it took job seekers 268 days on average to land a job offer, whereas by August 2024 this had improved to 182 days (about 6 months) (How Long Does it Take to Find a Job in 2024?)…

The whole world is hurting pretty bad right now when it comes to tech jobs - America seems to be hurting the least. I'm not saying the tech job situation in America isn't bad - but the world dances to America's fiddle, and its frustrating hearing Americans complain about how hard their situation is while their boot is firmly planted on my neck

I have edited it to clarify that (in the US) applied to losing health insurance.

Re: You are not your job

#110

Post by musicale »

vrganj wrote: post #17
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #13

There’s an old aphorism: “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I worked in tech, because I love tech . No other reason, really. I accepted a job, making maybe half of what I could make, elsewhere, because of the personal satisfaction I got from it, and the relationships I made, there. When I retired, I have continued to develop software, and am currently “leaning into” AI-assisted development.…

I have found that aphorism does not ring true for me. “Do what you love for work, and you'll stop loving it" seems more true to me. It always eventually turns into a chore once it is a thing you need to do.

Agreed - once you have to do something for a living in order to survive (and probably under the orders of clueless management and company executives) it becomes "work" that is no longer fun.

Same way that being forced to read for school often kills the desire to read for fun.

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