Hello Data, from one software developer to another

The way you describe your work, sounds like the story of my professional life.

Working in the IT industry for 25 years now, I know how difficult it is to keep it cool. I had moments when I impolitely expressed my frustration at work... I blew gaskets, I laid eggs, I had tantrums... you name it, I did it.

I used to see the software I developed as my offspring, I was always really passionate about my work, especially at the beginning of my career. I'd always put my heart and soul into that, so much as to be working Monday to Monday in 3 different jobs at one point...

Long story short, one day I kind of flipped a switch and everything changed. I started working not out of passion anymore, but to pay the bills. And that is how it should have been all the time.

Only very few people in this world can work in what they love, and enjoy it. The rest of us, well, we work because we need to.

You see, the good baker gets up at 4 in the morning and then labours tirelessly to make his best bread yet, but as soon as it is baked and sold, it is consumed by someone who says "It's only bread...". Later on or the next day, all the baker's hard work goes down the toilet... literally.

And so is the life of the accountant, the policeman/policewoman, the street sweeper, the plumber, the caretaker, the vet, the undertaker, the bus driver, etc... why should it be any different for a software developer?

I guess that what I'm trying to say is: it is what it is: work. It's a means to an end, it's something to keep the cogs moving and definitely not worth chewing your nails or growing grey hair for.

I wish you the best