I Hate My 30s?

Not really, but the show is certainly a winner.  I hit 30 last year and entered a period of confusion about my career path.  The challenge of programming was waning and as such, I was having a more difficult time remaining focused on it.  For months I thought the problem was simple burnout and blamed my employer.  Later on I took another gig  and the same feelings resurfaced, so I realized my initial conclusion was incorrect.

The truth, more likely, is that I’m not burned out.  I’m just less interested in the actual act of programming than before, but I remain passionately interested in software and technology.  To this end, I’d like to find a balanced, challenging outlet that allows me to pursue my interests in software and technology without getting bogged down in doing all of the implementation.

I used to look around and scoff at the lack of older programmers, assuming that older people can’t hack the ever-evolving technology landscape.  I no longer really think this is the case, but rather that as programmers gain experience, they obtain more perspective about the industry.  From the dawn of the computer science age in the 1960s to the present, most problems have been simply recycled with new implementations of the same solutions.  True innovation is more rare and the more experienced programmer gets weary of the same problem solving.

If I can find a career operating at a higher level in the software production process, I think I’ll be a lot happier.  It’s the repetitious problem solving in everyday programming that makes me bored.  In the past I’ve enjoyed architecture and design work as well as mentoring new hires out of college.  I don’t know what my exact niche in the ecosystem should be yet, but I certainly would like to stay within the software industry.  I’ll be re-examining career opportunities with a more open mind.