Hello everyone,
I hope you’re all doing well. I’m reaching out because I’ve been feeling somewhat stuck and would appreciate some advice and perspective.
I’m a full-stack developer, and while I have a solid grasp of my tools and enjoy what I do, I’ve been questioning whether I’ve confined myself too much within the IT and programming bubble. Over the years, I’ve built various applications that I initially thought would be great, but they didn’t pan out as expected. I’ve read books by MJ DeMarco and have been a regular reader of this forum, which has taught me a lot and shaped my understanding.
I recognize that creating a SaaS product in a niche you’re not familiar with is incredibly challenging, as @eliquid often points out. Consequently, I decided to focus on problems within my domain. In Poland, I noticed a recurring issue where many people asked how to become a programmer, learn to code, or land their first job. Using my expertise, I wrote three eBooks addressing these questions, but I only made about $50 in total. I realized the competition is fierce, with many others having established YouTube channels with hundreds of videos.
Inspired by Noah Kagan’s "Million Dollar Weekend," I understand that YouTube can be a fantastic tool for attracting engaged customers. However, the IT sector in my country has cooled down recently, limiting potential customers (evidenced by fewer ads in this area). I also struggle to identify other problems within the industry. While it might seem like an ideal world with no issues, I think I might not be attuned to finding these problems, and the competition in IT is daunting, with many programmers looking to create their own products.
Although I have other hobbies, I’m not an expert in them to pinpoint significant problems. For example, recurring questions in cycling are about which gravel bike to buy within a budget, and in grilling, how to clean a grill properly. These don’t seem like major issues that people would pay to solve.
Recently, I’ve been contemplating real-life problems I face:
I feel trapped in this IT bubble and that my only tool is programming. Remote work is also starting to wear on me as I miss human interaction. Sometimes, I even consider switching to gardening (which I enjoy) or buying a digger and getting into construction services, but I’m unsure. Programming is easy for me right now and pays well. I’m good at it and enjoy it.
Do you have any suggestions on how I can break out of this rut? How can I gain a new perspective? I feel like my world has shrunk. I’m turning 31 this year, and my social contacts have diminished as friends are now building houses, starting families, and living their own lives. It’s not like it used to be where we’d spontaneously grab a beer after work and stay out until 2 AM.
I need to make a change both in my personal and business life. Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
I hope you’re all doing well. I’m reaching out because I’ve been feeling somewhat stuck and would appreciate some advice and perspective.
I’m a full-stack developer, and while I have a solid grasp of my tools and enjoy what I do, I’ve been questioning whether I’ve confined myself too much within the IT and programming bubble. Over the years, I’ve built various applications that I initially thought would be great, but they didn’t pan out as expected. I’ve read books by MJ DeMarco and have been a regular reader of this forum, which has taught me a lot and shaped my understanding.
I recognize that creating a SaaS product in a niche you’re not familiar with is incredibly challenging, as @eliquid often points out. Consequently, I decided to focus on problems within my domain. In Poland, I noticed a recurring issue where many people asked how to become a programmer, learn to code, or land their first job. Using my expertise, I wrote three eBooks addressing these questions, but I only made about $50 in total. I realized the competition is fierce, with many others having established YouTube channels with hundreds of videos.
Inspired by Noah Kagan’s "Million Dollar Weekend," I understand that YouTube can be a fantastic tool for attracting engaged customers. However, the IT sector in my country has cooled down recently, limiting potential customers (evidenced by fewer ads in this area). I also struggle to identify other problems within the industry. While it might seem like an ideal world with no issues, I think I might not be attuned to finding these problems, and the competition in IT is daunting, with many programmers looking to create their own products.
Although I have other hobbies, I’m not an expert in them to pinpoint significant problems. For example, recurring questions in cycling are about which gravel bike to buy within a budget, and in grilling, how to clean a grill properly. These don’t seem like major issues that people would pay to solve.
Recently, I’ve been contemplating real-life problems I face:
- Often, I’m out of ideas for quick, interesting dinners with my girlfriend who dislikes repetitive meals like spaghetti or carbonara.
- I hate folding clothes after taking them out of the dryer.
- I dislike changing bed linens, especially on our large bed.
- I struggle to find problems in people's and companies’ lives that I could solve (ironic, I know).
- I have persistent weeds in my garden, and I can’t seem to find a solution (apparently golf courses have secret methods).
I feel trapped in this IT bubble and that my only tool is programming. Remote work is also starting to wear on me as I miss human interaction. Sometimes, I even consider switching to gardening (which I enjoy) or buying a digger and getting into construction services, but I’m unsure. Programming is easy for me right now and pays well. I’m good at it and enjoy it.
Do you have any suggestions on how I can break out of this rut? How can I gain a new perspective? I feel like my world has shrunk. I’m turning 31 this year, and my social contacts have diminished as friends are now building houses, starting families, and living their own lives. It’s not like it used to be where we’d spontaneously grab a beer after work and stay out until 2 AM.
I need to make a change both in my personal and business life. Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
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