Anything that looks too optimistic comes with a hidden cost
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It feels weird to write about something being too positive. However, I have started noticing that many software development problems might be caused by people being too positive and passionate. Let me explain.
Burnout
Isn’t it weird that so many young people are already feeling burnt out after a few years of work? I keep meeting people who need a break after just their first year or two. I’ve also experienced burnout myself (twice even). The first time, I had to take a six-month break. The second time, which was very recent, I needed a full year off before I could come back to programming.
This year, I’ve spent a lot of time with people outside tech and noticed one thing: We don’t complain much about our work. We complain about bad bosses and bad projects, but not about coding itself. We take passion for granted. Surprised? Go through job offers. Passion is often one of the must-haves listed on them. We are expected to love our job, and even more, we are expected to make programming the center of our universes.
But what about the people who do not love programming and still do their job all the same? Try to identify yourself…