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So, programming got less fun for me ever since I started doing it for money. I hated my job in pretty much exactly the same way you describe. But I have loved t

So, programming got less fun for me ever since I started doing it for money. I hated my job in pretty much exactly the same way you describe. But I have loved technology and building things ever since I was a few years old (Lego, etc) Then I quit my job (after a year) and went independent. I (eventually, not overnight) built an app that did moderately well, while sustaining myself through contracting revenue, and made a nice chunk of money from that. Not FU money, but enough to sustain me for a long time if I invested it well and didn't spend through the roof. And then I built another, and another. Everyone is different and I get where you're coming from. The reason I'm telling you this is because I love what I do again. I have helped out my mom when she needed it. I have freedom in life to do what I want, when I want it. I love cooking and spend a proper amount of time each day doing it. And I love the users of my apps that reach out to me because they enjoy using it. A good day of work is 4 to 6 hours of productive work. Also: you're not weak for helping out family -- call me crazy but I would give the people I care about a free monthly stipend if I could. People care too little about others. Also 2: You should stop reading startup stories and Techcrunch, as they're mostly bullshit. Investors included. If you want to take control of your life, focus on small things or products you can build in a short amount of time (e.g. like a plugin, a library or an app). Not going to go too much into detail, but I built one app a few years ago in a week that grossed close to $50k. Then there was another I built in a month that did $X00k+. Then I spent six months on a SaaS which made me exactly $10. I'm definitely not the smartest or most commercial guy around. Life isn't always easy, but please, don't kill yourself. It can definitely get better.

nicolashahn 8y ago
Where did your ideas for these plugins, libraries, apps come from?
- conesus 8y ago
  Stay curious and well read and ideas will come to you. Well read, to me, implies reading about advances in tech, in culture, and in environment. Reading a lot of books is great for synthesizing crossovers.
  - mathinpens 8y ago
    reading books is one of the essential pleasures in life also so it is always good advice
- charlesdm 8y ago
  Depends. First one was a copy of something I had seen work, but integrated with a different service. Second (higher grossing one) was just something I noticed in the marketplace that was getting bought but didn't work very well. A third app was a copy of the second, but a bit different, which also did well. You'd think all low hanging fruit is gone, but I don't think this is the case. It doesn't need to be an original idea if the alternative isn't working very well, for example. One thing I can tell you: there are a lot of opportunities you miss because you're not paying attention and busy with work or other random things. I personally wish I had more industry specific knowledge so I could go disrupt things, but getting up to speed in an industry is a lot of work if it's not something you're at home in. I also read a lot (and probably too much)

nicolashahn 8y ago

Where did your ideas for these plugins, libraries, apps come from?

conesus 8y ago
Stay curious and well read and ideas will come to you. Well read, to me, implies reading about advances in tech, in culture, and in environment. Reading a lot of books is great for synthesizing crossovers.
- mathinpens 8y ago
  reading books is one of the essential pleasures in life also so it is always good advice
charlesdm 8y ago
Depends. First one was a copy of something I had seen work, but integrated with a different service. Second (higher grossing one) was just something I noticed in the marketplace that was getting bought but didn't work very well. A third app was a copy of the second, but a bit different, which also did well. You'd think all low hanging fruit is gone, but I don't think this is the case. It doesn't need to be an original idea if the alternative isn't working very well, for example. One thing I can tell you: there are a lot of opportunities you miss because you're not paying attention and busy with work or other random things. I personally wish I had more industry specific knowledge so I could go disrupt things, but getting up to speed in an industry is a lot of work if it's not something you're at home in. I also read a lot (and probably too much)