I started software development recently, and coming from the restaurant industry it's extremely hard to wrap my head around the way most people in the tech industry think when it comes to work ethic. Personally I think it has a lot to do with being spoiled with an over-abundance of jobs. Most of you are very comfortable and wouldnt be worried about finding work if you were fired tomorrow.

In the restaurant industry it is part of the culture that no successful chef rises from the trenches of building a well-regarded establishment working less than 60-70 hours a week. That is the minimum.

I've worked nearly every position in the restaurant biz (I love the industry and would do it everyday if it paid anything decent) including a couple well-regarded NYC places where I worked consecutive 100+ hour weeks for extended periods of time, 24 hour shifts, and often times ended up sleeping somewhere in the restaurant so instead of spending an hour to get home and an hour to come back, I could use 2 extra hours of sleep. When I was 17 I saved a paycheck with 112 hours on it.

At almost 21 now and having recently completely left the industry (except for occasional catering gigs) I was up until recently still working consecutive 70-90 hour weeks.

It's likely because Im young and maybe naive but the appeal for me has always been the camaraderie and for the life of me I cannot find that in a startup. I've interviewed in person with over a dozen startups now in Manhattan and Brooklyn and I've turned down offers from the majority of companies I interviewed with because at 5pm, they all turn off their computers and go home.

I want to work with a team that's put all their chips into the company. Financially, physically, emotionally. I want the blood, sweat, and tears that make up the restaurant industry. Not because I think my hours are "cool" or "impressive" because I know I wont be able to maintain those hours as I get older and have real commitments. For now what I want is a team that has it all on the line. I know the risks are high but I know the reward is higher, the friendships that come out of those experiences have always been the strongest ones for me and the experiences have taught me how to handle the worst.

As I get older I'm sure I'll come to learn the differences between being paid for physical labour and being paid to develop software. Eventually I'll be in the same boat as most of you but for now I'll continue to work a 12 hour day and wakeup excited to check my emails and excited to hack on the next feature for my next side-project.