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If you are not passionate about programming, you must keep looking for your passion. And take calculated risks. Life is too short to waste on doing something yo

If you are not passionate about programming, you must keep looking for your passion. And take calculated risks. Life is too short to waste on doing something you don't love. Until I discovered my passion in electronics and programming, I hated going to school and consistently underperformed. Later I did better even at unrelated areas Being a passionate programmer does not always translate well into regular programming jobs. I love programming but the processes and bureaucracy at a job always came in my way. Of course, some of the processes are necessary - but I am not passionate about processes. When my manager asked me to develop a cool-new-complex-feature-in-bleeding-edge-tech in 72 hours straight, without paying for overtime - I didn't care about overtime or insane work-hours. That kind of insanity is possible when one is passionate. However, if that happened frequently, I'd fire the company. And you are absolutely right - most companies that look for passionate programmers are just looking for unpaid overtime from less-experienced programmers. Companies looking for "Experts in XYZ" are much better.

Gustomaximus 10y ago
Sorry don't buy passion in work arguement as an absolute. This seems to be such a US-centric view. When doing business in US I notice typically usually within 10min of meeting a new person they tell you how they love their job. It feels like something Americans have to prove to show their worth to their company/role. I like to think I'm good at my job but I dont have passion. I'd prefer to be out hiking, speding time with the family etc. But I have a sense of pride in getting results and doing things well. I see people who go down the passionate route, while effective in some areas blind themselves in others where they fail to see the bigger picture outside their passion area. Passion can be good, but it can also be damaging and should not be treated as this absolute requirement.
crispinb 10y ago
"If you are not passionate about programming, you must keep looking for your passion." Where exactly is this rule writ? It's certainly a dominant current myth, but it seems to me to be responsible for a lot of dissatisfaction and the occasional success. There is no preestablished harmony between the individual and this particular temporary political economy. The latter may or may not provide the facilities to indulge an individual in their "passion" (if they have one, which again isn't foreordained). By all means if you can work at something you love, why wouldn't you? But most people probably never will, and to expect everyone to aspire to being exceptional is a demonstrated recipe for disaster.
zaccus 10y ago
Not all passions can be monetized enough to live on, though. For example, I may be passionate about making music, but I'm not passionate about living on a musician's income. I'm not passionate about managing a social media presence and constantly touring around the country in a van. I need some amount of comfort and stability in order to be happy. So I work as a programmer and make music for myself in my spare time, while being able to have a family, take vacations, and save for a house and eventually retirement. You can think that's sad if you want, I don't care.

Gustomaximus 10y ago

Sorry don't buy passion in work arguement as an absolute. This seems to be such a US-centric view. When doing business in US I notice typically usually within 10min of meeting a new person they tell you how they love their job. It feels like something Americans have to prove to show their worth to their company/role. I like to think I'm good at my job but I dont have passion. I'd prefer to be out hiking, speding time with the family etc. But I have a sense of pride in getting results and doing things well. I see people who go down the passionate route, while effective in some areas blind themselves in others where they fail to see the bigger picture outside their passion area. Passion can be good, but it can also be damaging and should not be treated as this absolute requirement.

crispinb 10y ago

"If you are not passionate about programming, you must keep looking for your passion." Where exactly is this rule writ? It's certainly a dominant current myth, but it seems to me to be responsible for a lot of dissatisfaction and the occasional success. There is no preestablished harmony between the individual and this particular temporary political economy. The latter may or may not provide the facilities to indulge an individual in their "passion" (if they have one, which again isn't foreordained). By all means if you can work at something you love, why wouldn't you? But most people probably never will, and to expect everyone to aspire to being exceptional is a demonstrated recipe for disaster.

zaccus 10y ago

Not all passions can be monetized enough to live on, though. For example, I may be passionate about making music, but I'm not passionate about living on a musician's income. I'm not passionate about managing a social media presence and constantly touring around the country in a van. I need some amount of comfort and stability in order to be happy. So I work as a programmer and make music for myself in my spare time, while being able to have a family, take vacations, and save for a house and eventually retirement. You can think that's sad if you want, I don't care.