I think you need to be passionate about the code you write. I worked for a company out of college that I despised. I was there for 3 years and was extremely miserable. It was indeed soul sucking. I moved out of state, to a new company working on software in a totally different market and it's been very enjoyable. I love being outside, but I also love programming and wouldn't chose any other career over it.
I do love this story though. I'm glad it's working out. It must have been tough to make that huge change, with kids and everything. Good luck.
Hey, this is the author of the post! I completely agree with you, and I think in a lot of ways it's tough to find a place that can keep you passionate about the code you write. I still have plans to write code in the future, however, this journey of mine is to help give me the freedom to write code for myself. Code that I am actually passionate about. It seems that writing code for others is part of what takes the away the passion of the individual writing it.
As another programmer turned farmer, I am curious how you managed to reach self-sustainabilty so quickly? Programming is still an integral part of my farming operation because it pays the bills.
I want to write code and build things for myself, with hope that this code will be beneficial to others as well, but it doesn't have to be. Even better, if writing the code for myself can provide a life for my family and I, and also be beneficial to others.
I've heard it said that even philanthropy is as much driven by the individual philanthropist's need to feel the good feeling of giving, as it is by the actual or perceived need of others outside of the philanthropist. Sometimes goodness happens through the alignment of personal incentives with those of others, sometimes it is purely personal, but you probably need a blend of both to survive physically and emotionally.
There's a lot one could consider and digest in this thinking - open source vs proprietary, for vs. non-profit, side projects for fun vs. for profit (and where those blend together sometimes), "freedom" and much more.
I think a lot of this is about opening up yourself. It seems you're doing just that with your current endeavors, and I applaud and congratulate you for it!
>> I think you need to be passionate about the code you write.
Passion does go a long way as does working on fulfilling projects, but even the most passionate person will get burned out putting in long hours week after week. Everyone needs balance and thorough time away from the desk/cube/screen.
> I love being outside, but I also love programming and wouldn't chose any other career over it.
Couldn't agree more. The strange thing is just how hard it seems to be to reconcile these two preferences. Growing up in the UK countryside in the 1980s and watching the march of communication technologies, it seemed inconceivable that tech jobs would stay shackled to urban areas. Who knew?
One day, I'll find the remote gig I'm looking for...
I do love this story though. I'm glad it's working out. It must have been tough to make that huge change, with kids and everything. Good luck.