You Probably Won't Be a 'Big Shot' Programmer. Then What?

You probably won't become a big-shot programmer. Then what?

When I first started as a programmer, my thinking about the future was simple: work hard, learn the skills, and gradually become a capable person.

After a few years on the job, I began to accept one thing: I might just be an ordinary programmer. I can do my work well and keep learning, but that doesn't mean I'll become what people call a big shot.

Admitting that stings a little. Before, I always felt that if I worked hard enough, the impressive version of myself would eventually show up. It's not that I've stopped wanting to work hard; it's just that I've started wondering: if I never become that person, how do I go on from here?

What I'm unsure about is how to keep going

I still need to keep learning and do my work seriously. What I hesitate about is whether to put all my future expectations on this one path.

In the past, when I thought about persistence, I pictured continuing to dig deeper and keep climbing. Now I think: doing one thing for a long time is worth cherishing, but if a new interest comes up along the way and I want to make room to try it, I don't have to blame myself for lacking focus.

For me, keeping the accumulated experience of being a programmer while also touching on other things is the state I'm willing to try right now. What I've learned over the years can still help me do my work well, and even if a higher position isn't on the horizon, that doesn't mean my past effort has no value.

I still want to know, though, what else I might enjoy and do well besides writing code.

This brings me to something I've felt recently about AI

I used to really want an AI assistant that would take over writing, making PPTs, coding, and organizing requirements. That way I could pick one tool and be done.

But based on how I've used them, at least for now, I haven't found a single tool I'd trust to deliver everything. Writing an article and fixing code call for different kinds of help. I still have to choose based on the task at hand and check the results myself.

Looking back, what I was hoping for was probably a kind of peace of mind: choose once, and never think about it again. I had a similar expectation for my career, thinking that if I found the "right" path and stayed on it, the future would be secure. But after several years of work, my own thinking changes and the opportunities in front of me change, so I need to keep a little room to rechoose.

When someone recommends a foreign model, I'll consider trying it. But when it's my own money and my own use, what I care about is: how complex is my task? Can it help me make fewer revisions? Is the time it saves worth the cost?

If a tool with a better price and a smoother feel already meets my everyday needs, there's no reason to feel I chose wrong just because someone else uses a more expensive one.

Of course, it's natural to try a more capable tool when I hit a task it can't handle. The right fit changes as needs change; you don't have to pick the final one at once.

I think this lesson can apply to careers too. Other people's development paths are worth referring to, but I still have to weigh my own abilities, burdens, and interests before deciding my next step. Staring only at the most dazzling people makes it easy to lose sight of what you already have.

I want to start with a hobby I enjoy

At this point, it's not like I've suddenly figured out some life plan. All I can think of for now is to make time for things outside work.

If I like photography, take the camera out and shoot. If video appeals more, wander on weekends with a small camera and try to cut something I'd be willing to watch again. There's no need to research how to take paid gigs at the start, and no need to post anything online to prove something.

I do agree with the idea that a hobby might bring money-making opportunities. Liking something makes you more willing to spend time on it and easier to stick with it until you produce something decent.

But I don't want to oversell it. Enjoying taking photos and having someone pay you to take them are two different things. To really earn income from it, you need to understand what the other person wants and consider whether you can deliver as required. At that point, the hobby also gains a work component.

So I'd rather try it first and see whether I actually like it and can keep going. If an opportunity comes, take one small commission to feel it out. If I never make money but get out more and keep a few photos I love, that time is meaningful to me anyway.

I don't want to assign an income target to every hobby after a day of work.

Writing this, I still don't have a particularly definite answer about the future. I'll keep working as a programmer and hope my skills can advance a bit more. But for now, I'm willing to accept that I might not become a big shot, and I want to give other things I'm interested in a chance.