It's very relatable for many to feel that one's time was wasted online, but wanting to change, especially for people who find forums like Hacker News. The inter

It's very relatable for many to feel that one's time was wasted online, but wanting to change, especially for people who find forums like Hacker News. The interesting thing is that the solutions to changing one's situation can also be found online (or preferably, a starting point of the solution that leads to real-life resources). It's a double-edged sword in that sense: on the one hand, one can unintentionally spend a lot of time online, but on the other, browsing has given me the ideas and encouraged me to contact people in real life, which led to real positive career changes. I think a lot of people can relate to OP's situation, and really wish them to succeed. If they can think critically about a lot of these comments, and selectively consider the ones that make sense, it can be a great starting point to seek real-life resources that will make a massive difference over time.