Wow, that was a timely one for me. I gave my resignation today, and I'm planning to take a 6-months break to figure out what I really want to do next.
I'm a Director of Engineering at a startup, and I resonated with almost all parts of your story. Hard-working father who hated his job (65 hours a week in a factory), the need to excel and succeed, to show them that their sacrifice was worth it.
I'm 29 now, and I've been working in the tech world for 14 years straight (since high school, did a college degree with a full time job), with some short vacations. I actually enjoyed most of it, and always postponed making an 'unconventional' decision. It's hard to escape that honey trap of tech jobs, making $100K+ a year, doing something you mildly enjoy. As I started a family and my son was born, it became even harder, as I feel responsible to save for the long term, and maybe by a house some day.
I always thought I want to be a CEO of a big company, ideally one I started. I devoured entrepreneurship books and stories, dreaming to become one. But I also have a dream to live the life I want. To have time for my family, to do sports, to read and write every day.
I've been told it's a conflict - and if I want the lifestyle choice, I better just stick to my classic tech jobs. I could have made VP R&D in 5-6 years, nice salary, 9-5 work.
Honestly, I just don't know which path do I want, and I figured out there is no way to understand it if I don't give myself space to explore.
Hopefully in the upcoming year I'll figure it out :)
Would love to hear any tips or get links to other relevant articles on that topic 🙏 (checked Rob's one, will read the 5 you linked)
Congrats on your new adventure! I hope you make the most out of your break -- getting some new perspective will do wonders for you to figure out where you want to spend the next few years. Working since high school is insane! Sounds like a much deserved vacation. On "being told" about what you can and can't do, people are always so quick to share their own POV...nobody knows what will happen in your future. You CAN have everything, you just have to design your life one step at a time. Most people take the conventional path. Don't ever take advice from someone who isn't where you want to be. :) There are a thousand books out there that seem to have the right answer on how to figure out your life, but I believe the only way is to start doing something. Your heart will very quickly tell you whether you should keep going or change. The one book I would recommend for this stage in your life is "The Alchemist" b Paulo Coelho.
My 2 cents, most startup advice is too YC/VC oriented and doesn't apply to everyone. Yes it takes time to get started but not a 10 year commitment either. I think you have the experience and potential insights on your industry and profession to build something while still suiting your needs and constraints
I love this blog - not many people talk about idea selection (aside from looking for the biggest TAM and tailwinds with a VC lens). It's also a nice push for me because I'm just procrastinating on building these days (the brain is sneaky)
Wow, that was a timely one for me. I gave my resignation today, and I'm planning to take a 6-months break to figure out what I really want to do next.
I'm a Director of Engineering at a startup, and I resonated with almost all parts of your story. Hard-working father who hated his job (65 hours a week in a factory), the need to excel and succeed, to show them that their sacrifice was worth it.
I'm 29 now, and I've been working in the tech world for 14 years straight (since high school, did a college degree with a full time job), with some short vacations. I actually enjoyed most of it, and always postponed making an 'unconventional' decision. It's hard to escape that honey trap of tech jobs, making $100K+ a year, doing something you mildly enjoy. As I started a family and my son was born, it became even harder, as I feel responsible to save for the long term, and maybe by a house some day.
I always thought I want to be a CEO of a big company, ideally one I started. I devoured entrepreneurship books and stories, dreaming to become one. But I also have a dream to live the life I want. To have time for my family, to do sports, to read and write every day.
I've been told it's a conflict - and if I want the lifestyle choice, I better just stick to my classic tech jobs. I could have made VP R&D in 5-6 years, nice salary, 9-5 work.
Honestly, I just don't know which path do I want, and I figured out there is no way to understand it if I don't give myself space to explore.
Hopefully in the upcoming year I'll figure it out :)
Would love to hear any tips or get links to other relevant articles on that topic 🙏 (checked Rob's one, will read the 5 you linked)
Congrats on your new adventure! I hope you make the most out of your break -- getting some new perspective will do wonders for you to figure out where you want to spend the next few years. Working since high school is insane! Sounds like a much deserved vacation. On "being told" about what you can and can't do, people are always so quick to share their own POV...nobody knows what will happen in your future. You CAN have everything, you just have to design your life one step at a time. Most people take the conventional path. Don't ever take advice from someone who isn't where you want to be. :) There are a thousand books out there that seem to have the right answer on how to figure out your life, but I believe the only way is to start doing something. Your heart will very quickly tell you whether you should keep going or change. The one book I would recommend for this stage in your life is "The Alchemist" b Paulo Coelho.
Thank you for the encouragement, Melissa!
My 2 cents, most startup advice is too YC/VC oriented and doesn't apply to everyone. Yes it takes time to get started but not a 10 year commitment either. I think you have the experience and potential insights on your industry and profession to build something while still suiting your needs and constraints
I love this blog - not many people talk about idea selection (aside from looking for the biggest TAM and tailwinds with a VC lens). It's also a nice push for me because I'm just procrastinating on building these days (the brain is sneaky)
Thanks for writing Melissa :)
This post by Rob Fitz is a good companion: https://www.robfitz.com/c/living/idea-selection-dominates-lifestyle-design-business-models-freedom-a-sad-hn-story
Thank you, Ved!! Indeed that’s a companion blog :)