Ask HN: How do you get your motivation? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do you get your motivation?

13 pointsmrt123g3 comments

Hey folks, short story made long.

I always was a passionate developer back in the days, I've started to work on top companies as a consultant and I gain a quite good experience and professionalism. I started to be bored about how the things gone, how much the pressure of a result was higher than the value of your work. The 'should be done asap' culture break me. I couldn't think how to do my job, it was only about to think how to do it fast, regardingless quality (yes, in many projects and for many customers).

I got sick about it and I quit my latest job in order to bust my motivation and fantasy again. I get a pause for a few months and I started to work again in another place. But it's almost the same, though is better for other aspect, seems I can't find the glory of the sunny days again.

So how you deal with it? How do you get the motivation to do something great?

0. Be suspicious of the term "passionate": http://www.virtuouscode.com/2014/02/10/the-passion-gospel/

1. I find it very helpful to work on something I think is actually important. Lots of companies are working on stuff that... isn't. My personal list is here, yours will no doubt differ: https://codewithoutrules.com/2017/08/07/do-something-useful/

2. Align all your goals together. Getting paid, and working on something you care about, and not just going helter skelter, and so on.

Lots of programming work is necessary but boring, or necessarily slapdash; you need to fully understand why you're doing it, and make sure you really believe it's necessary, or yeah, it doesn't work.

More on that here: https://codewithoutrules.com/2017/08/03/stay-focused/

This is a tough one and realistically for most people work is a soul crushing experience. That's just the way it is.

But there are places where you can find a reasonable compromise. I would look at companies and departments where your work is the main product and not just a cost center. Life is much better where management likes technology and not just deadlines.

I watch TED videos.

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