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The average joe who'd write this blogpost wouldn't be an average joe anymore. The reality is that most of us in tech can aspire to the author's outcome, with hi
by AYBABTME 5y ago
The average joe who'd write this blogpost wouldn't be an average joe anymore. The reality is that most of us in tech can aspire to the author's outcome, with high probability of success. The odds are stacked in our favor. If we're willing to do the moves and do the "sacrifices", most of us can pull it off. But in the end you need the right attitude, and some advice about good strategies, like the author is giving out.
I think the cynical perspective is entirely exaggerated in the software industry. It's also an awful way to look at things, almost guaranteeing a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- giantg2 5y ago"The reality is that most of us in tech can aspire to the author's outcome, with high probability of success." This simply isn't true. Most people cannot retire after 12 years of working, even in tech. The median software dev salary in the US is about $105k. You cannot reasonably earn $2.4M when you make about half of that during those 12 years.
- AYBABTME 5y agoIt's not hard to move up the quantiles if you put the effort. It doesn't require ivy league education, a rich family, or a particularly genius mind. The mean salary is useless in quantifying wether you, as an individual, have any agency in influencing your outcome. Your attitude toward it, however, has a lot to do with it. And surely starting with the assumption that it's impossible doesn't put the odds in your favor. In any case, 105k median income just goes to tell how big the opportunity is.
- giantg2 5y ago"It's not hard to move up the quantiles if you put the effort." The statistics paint a different picture - there are only so many jobs above the median. "In any case, 105k median income just goes to tell how big the opportunity is." You mean limited? Clearly this is multiples lower than the author. "The mean salary is useless in quantifying wether you, as an individual, have any agency in influencing your outcome." No, not really. It allows you to set realistic expectations and understand the job market.
- AYBABTME 5y agoI'm not going to change your mood but I hope someone else reading this interaction early in their career will come out of it with an optimistic mindset instead of a cynical one. It pays off better.
- lordnacho 5y agoKeep in mind you can be disappointed in more than one way. Either you tried the impossible with an optimistic mindset and failed anyway, or you failed at something doable because you took pessimistic choices. It's not actually obvious which category this is in.
- gxespino 5y agoYes, but the optimistic mindset would probably have a better outcome than the latter regardless if they failed to meet their original expectations or not.
- ZephyrBlu 5y agoIf you have an optimistic mindset and poor abilities, how does that translate to a better outcome than a pessimistic mindset?