Keep your side projects simple so you can get that dopamine reward with every launch/update.
Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
21–30 of 145 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#22I view my side projects as the main work, and anything else as merely a way of supporting them. Also, I have enough side projects that if I lose interest in one I can switch to another.
Out of curiosity, what kind of side projects do you do?
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#23Remind yourself of the alternative ie working in a company pumping out lines of code for the rest of your life for a salary.
(Also worth noting that this isn't particularly bad, in the grand scheme of things. When you are dejected the rose colored glasses come off -- so if you want to keep motivated, build that emotion from reasons that are true even when the alternatives seem quite good.)
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#24Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#25I build things that I need, so the act of me fulfilling that need is enough for me to carry on.
Unfortunately I don't always have enough time to push code every day, but that doesn't mean I can't answer emails, add items to Trello and be active in the Gitter chatroom etc.
For those interested, I'm currently working on Cachet, an open source replacement for StatusPage.io (https://github.com/cachethq/cachet)
Today I created a CrowdIn project for translating the language files into other languages :)
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#26I think it might be interesting to note that different people have different motivations for "side projects" (as well as different definitions for side projects!).
For someone, a side project might be about solving arbitrary problems such as trying to write a Tetris clone under, say 1024 bytes on x86-64 Linux machine -- something which has absolutely no real world relevance whatsoever, while for someone else that'd make no sense and be waste of time. Probably they'd much rather build something much more concrete, say a real product (say a web app) actual people can, and hopefully will use.
Perhaps it is a meaningless and arbitrary attempt at making distinctions, but I find it relevant for myself as I certainly fall under the first example, while many here in HN fall under the second. I feel this definitely plays a role in what we consider "side projects" and how we deal with them.
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#27Pure determination. I work more hours than any person should, or that is even healthy but I do not want to go to my grave having not fulfilled my dream and personal goal of having a company of my own.
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#28Be consistent. Do some work every day, even if it's just 5mins of work. You will keep the idea in mind.
A super easy way to keep yourself accountable when doing something like this is with the contribution graph on Github. My desire to not break my streak keeps me working on my projects every day. ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/98kngmtwzrsmvjg/Screenshot%202014-... )
Just so you know, they got rid of the "rock — hard place" comment. You can relax now.
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#29By not having kids.
Not over working at day job.
Re: Ask HN: How do you stay motivated to work on side projects?
#30Remind yourself of the alternative ie working in a company pumping out lines of code for the rest of your life for a salary.
A side project doesn't need to be profitable, or an actual business. It can be anything you want to do as a hobby.