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Anyone else here happy with their day job, but still IndieHacking?

There are so many stories about not wanting to work for someone else, etc. Doesn't anyone feel that working for an employer gives you a lot more freedom as opposed to trying to run your own business?

Of course some people are luckier than others in terms of their job arrangements but even so I'm sure there are plenty of us who have flexibility and job satisfaction.

If you are one of those, how do you keep yourself motivated? I feel like with the demands of the full time job, and the growth that it requires, plus the learning I need to go through for my own product, PLUS having a family life means that sometimes it's just too much to handle.

Any insights?

  1. 2

    Great question Animesh.

    I'm truly happy with my daily job but I still work on my side projects. Here are my reasons:

    • I know that if I stop working then I won't receive any money. This doesn't happen when you have a product out there that people buy.
    • If the company I'm working on goes broke then I'm out of luck. I feel like having different projects can provide you a diversification strategy.
    • I learn while I build something.

    I agree that having a full time job, a side hustle, and a family can be totally overwhelming.

    I don't know much about motivation. It seems like it's something that comes and goes. What I know if that I'm not having fun or feeling energized by the work I do then I just forget about it. There's no point in continuing it.

    I try to make it fun:

    • I use the editor I like
    • I write in the language I like with the technologies I like (I don't even try to use the most lucrative or newest tools)
    • I have a proper setup: a comfortable chair and a cool mechanical keyboard.
    • I listen to music while I work.

    I don't know, it's kinda like a ritual that I enjoy. It sounds silly but it works for me.

    Hope it helps.

    Anyways good luck!

    1. 1

      Hi Ruben thanks for such a detailed reply!
      I agree with making it fun and engaging in other ways. I just invested in a good chair and an ergonomic keyboard myself :)

      My coping strategy is pretty much the same as yours. For the past week I have done almost nothing on my project and just played Age Of Empires in my downtime :D

      And this is the part that I feel guilty about every now and then.

      1. 2

        Dude Age of Empires is the shit! I just downloaded the definitive edition yesterday. Pretty good stuff.

        Sometimes people need a rest. I don't think you should feel guilty.

        Anyways I once read this tweet from Daniel Vasallo

        Procrastination is information. It shows you where your ambitions mismatch your true preferences.

        And if you force yourself to create something you don't feel like doing, it will show.

        And if you happen to succeed, you would have hated it so much, you wouldn't do it again.

        I think about it from time to time. If you feel something is off maybe change it.

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