Meaning, Purpose, Drive in Web Development Career

[Sareth]

Hi, I’m a 27 year old from Germany and I have completed my B.Sc. in Media Informatics at the start of the year.

I am struggling with finding deeper “purpose” and meaning in what I do and I come here to ask for advice.

My entire life I have been kind of a computer nerd and in school I realized my talent for coding. I then went on to pursue an apprenticeship as IT businessman at a big retail company but I didn’t find fulfillment there. It was mostly dealing with systems administration, particularly in SAP, and didn’t envolve coding at all.

I decided I need to dig deeper and started to study Media Informatics. I believed this to be a good choice since I would be able to combine coding with creative design. But then again, I was always very bad at arts or tinkering, this creative stuff. Only thing I excelled in was creative writing, and well, coding. I enjoy beautiful design, though.

I decided to study web development in my free time more deeply because it seemed like the most practical approach. I got particularly interested in Blockchain, I kinda fell for the hype of 2017 and lost a lot of money but I believed in the technology and implications of it. So I decided to use my interest and talent and I landed a job as working Student as a Blockchain Engineer.

When I was there I quickly realized how low my technical knowledge actually was. My mates were far more proficient than me. I ended up specializing mostly in Frontend stuff, because the backend and blockchain stuff was over my head.

Because of this experience, I decided to focus more on the Frontend side and after my graduation, I landed a job as a Junior Frontend Engineer for an E-Commerce Platform Provider. This job made me feel more comfortable, because it was more appropriate for my skill level. But I kinda missed the deeper purpose that I felt when working on the Blockchain stuff.

Now the company is basically bankrupt thanks to COVID-19. I therefore have to find a new job just a couple months after beginning.

Now I am having kind of an existential crisis. I don’t know which path to go. I have been working myself into more backend and cloud stuff but just foundational knowledge without much practice. I am solid in Frontend Development, but something inside me screams that this isn’t what I want to do forever. I like the work itself, designing and implementing user interfaces and features. That’s not the problem. But it feels dull at times and pointless.

Like, I am creating websites and apps, but it doesn’t really feel like I’m actually achieving something profound. It’s just digital pixels appearing on the user’s screen. There is no deeper meaning, nothing groundbreaking, it’s just a job.

I have been thinking of moving to other fields like Machine Learning. But this would mean all my built-up knowledge on web development has been for waste. And I don’t want to be hopping from one thing to the next until I’m bored again.

So to summarize, I like the work itself, the coding, the creation of cool User Experience and new Features. I also like digging into new technology and learning. But I am missing an inner drive, a deeper meaning, a clear goal what I want to achieve. I don’t want to waste my life.

Do you have any thoughts, inspiration, ideas about this? Have you ever experienced the same thing?

Thanks in Advance.

[Sareth]

Anyone?

[28 cm unbuffed]

Leo's life purpose course

 

[UDT]

You might need to add meaning to your work. 
If you make a cool user experience, who do you make it for?
Whats the user? Is it someone you deeply care about? If not, why not?

[supremeyingyang]

@Sareth

Den Post kann ich sicherlich zielführend beantworten.

---> below are hints of how to find reason in a programmer job

Hey Sareth, I'm at a comparable level in my career as a sap developer (aren't hiring right how, but...^^ ). I didn't study CS, I learned to Code on the side.

The Golden Rule is to learn something in CS that is needed but few are willing to do. I would do Backend. I foresee packs of people who come into Frontend because its easier.. like you. Make like 1 Udemy Backend Course, read a Book and you are good.

You are basicly like the beautiful Girl in a Club as a Programmer, everyone wants your work. I guess that we'll have a break for like 2 Months until the Shutdown comes back to Germany. Get a Job until then.. you will be paid zo learn.

--> Give 10% to a Charity Organization, Code in Open Source, engage in political debate in the ccc, read a lot of books on the subject like those of Victor Frankl, yeah you could buy LP course but I would recommend get work first!!!

[Sareth]

22 hours ago, 28 cm unbuffed said:

Leo's life purpose course

 

Done it, know my core values and strengths, my area of mastery, but not my purpose. A lot of talk with little value in my view 

[Sareth]

12 hours ago, supremeyingyang said:

@Sareth

Den Post kann ich sicherlich zielführend beantworten.

---> below are hints of how to find reason in a programmer job

Hey Sareth, I'm at a comparable level in my career as a sap developer (aren't hiring right how, but...^^ ). I didn't study CS, I learned to Code on the side.

The Golden Rule is to learn something in CS that is needed but few are willing to do. I would do Backend. I foresee packs of people who come into Frontend because its easier.. like you. Make like 1 Udemy Backend Course, read a Book and you are good.

You are basicly like the beautiful Girl in a Club as a Programmer, everyone wants your work. I guess that we'll have a break for like 2 Months until the Shutdown comes back to Germany. Get a Job until then.. you will be paid zo learn.

--> Give 10% to a Charity Organization, Code in Open Source, engage in political debate in the ccc, read a lot of books on the subject like those of Victor Frankl, yeah you could buy LP course but I would recommend get work first!!!

Thanks for the effort. But how does this help me find my life purpose? 

[supremeyingyang]

18 minutes ago, Sareth said:

Thanks for the effort. But how does this help me find my life purpose? 

I'm confused.. the Course is all about this - and you you did it..

Okay you don't know. I would say explore the world... Do things you normally wouldn't do. Go to  a new Restaurant, watch new Movies, read different Books .... dang read books you think you will dislike to see if your intuition is right.. make the MBTI Test.. go deeper on any topic you like, make field studies...

schau einfach, du hast ja jetzt zeit aber ich würde erstmal einen Job suchen und in der Freizeit suchen.. dann kannst du auch Geld sparen

Edited July 4, 2020 by supremeyingyang

[Sareth]

The course gives you insight into your strengths and values but and what you excel at.

 

for me it’s 

 

Values:

Knowledge, Learning

Wisdom, Understanding

Spirituality

Personal Development

Love, Passion

Creativity

Freedom, Independence

 

Strengths:

Fairness, equity, and justice -

Treating all people fairly is one of your abiding principles. You do not let your personal feelings bias your decisions about other people. You give everyone a chance.

Love of learning -

You love learning new things, whether in a class or on your own. You have always loved school, reading, and museums-anywhere and everywhere there is an opportunity to learn.

Creativity, ingenuity, and originality -

Thinking of new ways to do things is a crucial part of who you are. You are never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible.

 

Area of Mastery / Zone of Genius:

Programming, Breaking complex logic into easily digestible chunks

 

now what does that help me in determining my life purpose 

[supremeyingyang]

isn't that what the last third is about?

[Sareth]

Maybe I need to revisit it. I might have been a little distracted for the last part, thanks. 

[supremeyingyang]

the golden way in programming goes like this according to paul graham:

1. get money, 2. do something good

you should read this essays: http://www.paulgraham.com/articles.html

and his interview with Robert Greene https://www.amazon.de/Interviews-Masters-Companion-Greenes-Mastery-ebook/dp/B00GMOPJKE

this could be a beginning

[Onemanwolfpac]

On 03/07/2020 at 1:56 PM, Sareth said:

Anyone?

Its a job dude. You don't find meaning doing anything as a corporate drone. You either start a business or a side hustle. Alternatively, you can go ahead with your hobbies and passions outside of your day job. For me, entrepreneurship is a good idea. 

[wwhy]

8 hours ago, Sareth said:

But how does this help me find my life purpose? 

Your life's purpose will find you, maybe.

The important thing in the meantime is to realize that your life's purpose (why your ultimately here) and your job (what you do for a living) do not have to be the same thing. They can be, but until you know for sure what it is, don't force it and keep eating.

[Sareth]

Thx for your advice. Maybe I’ll just see what the job interview brings next Wednesday, take it,

make the new experiences and get a step closer to discovering what I really want.