Hacker News Reader

Comment by lowlander | Hacker News Reader

I'm working on changing careers. After 10 years of struggling to find the right role/company/environment in software dev or product management, I realized that I just don't like making software. Period. Made some good friends, enjoyed some of the work, learned a lot, got pretty decent at the whole SaaS thing, but I just don't like it.

That realization over the last couple weeks has been a huge relief. I'd like to explore some things I'm naturally curious about such as agricultural waste management.

View on HN

Do anything too long it can become dull and sap life from you. You should wake up feeling invigorated, not drained.

Golden handcuffs enslave us and true freedom is being able to have the confidence to side-step into new adventures. Good luck on your journey

I feel the same, but how do you change the golden handcuffs? If I leave the industry I’ll never afford a home. If I look at jobs online I’ve seen commissioned officers in the army get paid less than me. I feel trapped, the more I progressed in the industry the more I’ve grown to hate technology.

I don't have a good answer. the money and possible upside of future opportunities in software are probably the biggest things keeping me tied to this work. I keep coming back to these things when I doubt myself:

1. what kind of person do i aspire to be? what kind of life do I want to lead and what example do i want to set for my kids and my family? one who is miserable but makes good money and is just in it for the paycheck. or someone who lives a life of purpose, passion and enthusiasm. 2. people who are passionate, excited and invested in something can usually find a way to make good money. especially these days. 3. being less than enthused about what I do might actually be what's keeping me from finding more financial success

Big change! Congratulations on the realization, all the best on the next phase and I wish you find it to be meaningful.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com