All That Glitters Is Not Gold
Why I left a career as a software engineer and you should too.
This post has been a few months in the making. I wanted to give myself enough time to fully form my thoughts and process my feelings about my recent career pivot.
To be clear, I still advocate people learn how to code. It teaches you many useful skills like learning to think logically and methodically about solutions to challenges and gives you an understanding into how our modern tools, services, etc work. Technology pervades almost everything in our homes and industries. Software developers are, and will be, in high demand for the foreseeable future.
“Software development provides one of the best pathways for people to attain a great career and income.”
So, you’re probably scratching your head and wondering “Why are you leaving if it’s so great?”. Well, to put it simply, because I woke up one day unhappy. That day turned into a week which then snowballed into months of melancholy, disillusionment and general fatigue.
Why was I feeling like this? Why was I exhibiting so many of the classic signs of depression? I was working on a new project with a waiting list of merchants ready to deploy it once released, I had a great income from my own SaaS and consulting gigs yet I felt like I was trapped.
I was unhappy and I didn’t know why. I did know I didn’t like my job anymore. That is a huge problem when you’re self employed! I tried to remedy it by finding ways to get more fulfillment out of my work. I began to recruit and organize a group of fellow developers to teach underprivileged children how to code. I took more time off of work to truly experience life and cultivate friendships I had neglected. Although it helped, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something in my life was inherently wrong.
I could list a 100 reasons why I left the tech industry but wont bore you with the same criticisms you can read about on every tech-critical post. Are there founders that have no business leading a company? Yes. Are there VC’s who are worthless? Yes. Is there bigotry and sexism? Yes. Is there too much smoke and mirrors and not enough actual substance to many of the companies and products being developed? Absolutely. Was that why I left? Sort of…
All of those reasons and more had a part to play in my decision but weren’t the underlying motivation. My true motivation was love.
Many of my friends have known that it has been a dream of mine for almost 20 years to get into the jewelry business. I had explored learning to be a diamond cutter or a goldsmith for a long time. I was attracted to the artistry, the beauty and most of all to the chance to be a part of peoples most cherished moments. I wanted to help people manifest their love for each other in material form. My problem was that the jewelry industry is a very insular one. It is very difficult to get your foot in the door in more than a retail capacity.
Although there are schools which range in quality and scope covering the skills I wanted to attain many of them either have a long waiting list (measured in years) or simply don’t prepare you properly to truly be a craftsman. The only, true method of acquiring the skills necessary is still very much to find a master to apprentice with. Finding a great mentor is hard but not impossible.
So, how did I do it? Well, first I thought about the underlying reasons I wasn’t happy. That took time, a long time, and that’s okay. Big decisions should be thought about and you shouldn’t make life changing decisions on a whim.
Once I identified my malcontent as being work related I imagined what I could do differently. Would I be better off traveling more? Should I work remotely and see more of the world? Travel is amazing but one of my issues with my job was the loneliness you feel working from home and being tied to a computer screen for days at a time. Deep down I wanted to pursue my dream, but how?
I began small. I took a weekly 3 hour course to learn basic skills at Metalworks SF, joined a FB group of aspiring jewelers, and began networking with goldsmiths and bench jewelers in the Bay Area. I also began searching for tools to set up a home studio in my garage. While searching craigslist for equipment, I came across an ad for an apprentice.
The craigslist ad hit me like a bolt of lightning! Was this the opportunity I was looking for? A master looking for an apprentice! It was perfect…almost. My problem was the apprenticeship was in Sacramento and I live in the East Bay almost 100 miles away.
Others may have quit but not me. I’m a firm believer in the adage that winners find a way and losers find an excuse.
I emailed the master goldsmith and setup an appointment. We hit it off and I began that same week. So far it’s been amazing and I have had countless opportunities to help people surprise their loved ones with gifts and create memories that last a lifetime. For the first time in years I enjoy going to work, I look forward to my day and to bettering my craft.
As cliche as it may sound, I am truly living my best life. My path to doing what I love was not a straight line, it rarely ever is. I wholeheartedly encourage all of you to take time out and reassess your life. Make sure you’re happy and that your career provides contentment and happiness. Do what you love and success will follow.
If you’d like to check out my new career and see some of the things I do check out my Instagram stories.
