Ask HN: Have you ever got tired of programming? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Have you ever got tired of programming?

8 pointsnnd9 comments

Hello HN,

I'm 28 and been doing programming ever since I was a kid, built a pretty successful carrier out of it, tried to launch startups, worked for big corporations and small startups, contributed to open-source, became an expert in a niche domain, and ended up doing consulting working remotely for the last couple years.

The problem is, I don't enjoy it anymore. More importantly, I don't enjoy the process which doesn't involve much creativity. Especially with building software, there are always optimal engineering practices, but even with paths less travelled like reverse-engineering, there is limited room for creativity as well. In the end it's all about solving a problem, and after a while solving really hard problems which you don't care about burns you out.

Anyone else experienced something similar? What drives you to keep at programming?

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Yes, and you should be glad that you are feeling this way this early. Believe it or not programming is a pretty empty profession. Look back at what you've accomplish, how much can you put your finger on that says wow am so proud of that? I've made a difference. Little to none, I bet. It's so easy for your life's work to disappear because things have changed. Programming as a profession pays well but the results are hard to measure.

So use programming as means to something you really want. Maybe the breadwinner to the family you love or focus on jobs that you find fill your need to make a difference. Jobs where you can say without me that would never have happened. Chances are they won't pay as well but you'll feel better about what you are doing. Programming because it pays well does nothing for you in terms of fulfillment. Also, there's the life/work balance. Working continuously without a goal becomes a miserable situation. Understand that and you'll be a more content person.

I have recently started to consider myself a recovering software developer.

Much like with alcoholism, there comes a point where the negative physical and social consequences of chronic over indulgence starts to outweigh the positives. It sounds silly on the surface but makes sense in the context of an obsessive programmer who spends 8+ hours a day almost every day doing something dev related, whether it be working or learning something new just to keep up.

It's a culmination of realizing how much of your life has been spent creating value for other people so they can pursue their own ambitions, coupled with good old fashion burn out and wondering if all of those hours of ones life could have been better spent.

The only solution I have so far is trying my best to partake with moderation, and only working on things where the end product is something I care a lot about.

You're not alone. This came up the other day here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12897284 and in that thread, I wrote this:

... I don't love [programming]. Alan Kay is right, it's like building "an Egyptian pyramid with millions of bricks piled on top of each other, with no structural integrity, but just done by brute force and thousands of slaves". There's no elegance and no higher vision. It's an Asperger profession; smart but artless.

My advice is to either try to work at making programming better or consider a move to something better.

Personally, I'm part of a group in San Francisco called 20/20 that meets monthly toward the first goal [2020salon.blogspot.com]. If I didn't see a way out, I would have left a while ago.

I'm tired of doing coding challenges

Mostly every day. And I thoroughly enjoy it--but it's hard, and the constant decision making can be exhausting.

DHH said that there are really hard and big problems waiting for being solved. He lets the unhappy cubic folks working for big corps solving this hard and big problems and makes his living by solving small problems. He seemed to be happy. And seems to have power to contribute to OS.

Everyone gets tired of their profession sooner or later. Lawyers, programmers, doctors, welders, customer service people, etc.

It's natural, particularly in programming where you can have a lot of fun messing with you own projects or be locked into a very boring sprint.

I like creating things and I consider myself to be a curious individual, which makes me appreciate programming.

Unfortunately I also like things that work.

It's tough. Sometimes I wish it was just a hobby.

I'm tired of developer issues, and starving for actual end results. Programming is a means to an end, and the drive that keeps me going is the desire to see my work finished.

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