Should I do programming if I don't enjoy it

14 years ago

It depends on what you want more: Money or Happiness.

Personally, I wouldn't do something that I didn't enjoy, though I personally enjoy programming.

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rpstaller 14 years ago

There are quite a few things I enjoy doing that totally lose all appeal when I think about doing them as my job.

Programming is a good example. I like to dabble with some light programming in my free time but if I had to do it 9 to 5, so to speak, I think I would go mad. That being said, if I could earn enough money from programming only a couple of hours a week allowing me the time freedom to do all of the other things I enjoy whenever and where ever I want, I think I could find a sense of happiness with programming as my job.

I think whether or not you should continue to program if you don't enjoy it is a question only you can answer but I hope this at least gives you another perspective to consider.
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wayfarer

14 years ago

I think it's crazy to do something like programming if you don't enjoy it, unless like rpstaller's example you only do it a couple hours a week for extra cash. To get really good at it, it helps to be passionate about it, so I wouldn't consider it as an actual career unless you know you like it now.

That said, how do you know you don't like programming? Have you had anyone to mentor you, or have you just started on your own? Have you worked with any other programmers that have been in the field for a while now? Everyone's personal story contributes a lot not only to their success, but to their actual enjoyment of it as well.

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Karen Barr

14 years ago

I think that's difficult to answer and the reason you don't like what you're doing is maybe because it's repetitive and you've done it all before?

I am not hugely technical but I love challenges so for me I enjoy doing programming which is solving new problems and exploring things I haven't done before.

If I had to spend all day making the same type of program over and over, I'd flip out.

Are you creating macros by any chance? Is there a possibility that you could make the process more automated so you can deliver your gigs really quickly and in the mean time work on some tasks you find more fulfilling?

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Johan Efendi

14 years ago

Dont waste rest of your life for somethin you didnt enjoy... life is too short. You dont need coding when already find other way to make money.

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whland 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Johan Efendi

Dont waste rest of your life for somethin you didnt enjoy... life is too short. You dont need coding when already find other way to make money.

Exactly. If you don't enjoy what you do. Then try and find another job that involves something you DO enjoy.

Chad
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mmrumii

14 years ago

Personally I don't do anything what is not interesting and enjoyable to me.
I love programming and really enjoy it . Cause this is the section where I can show my creativity.

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JoshuaReen

14 years ago

Personally, I enjoy programming. I have made a lot of websites without any need. It is my hobby to research online to learn programming. It helps me to understand my university courses well too, as I'm student of Masters in Computer Science.

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Chuck Dimon

14 years ago

I started off my career as a software engineer in the banking sector. Loved the work but didn't love the "job" if that makes sense.

Started my own company several years ago. Did all of the early development work myself. In that case I still loved my work and loved my job even more.

From my personal experience, there is little enjoyment about creating things for other people. I found it impossible to be passionate about a clients project.

I found it impossible to not be passionate about my own projects.

Good Luck to you.

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maxmash 14 years ago

wow... finding your passion is important, programming can be fun but we should always use it as a means to something productive we want. I think doing programming for other sometimes for low bucks on sites like 5ver could get boring.. like chuck said finding your passion is important you will love your job and your work too!
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SlfMastery

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Tony Humble

Currently, I make some a bit of money from doing programming jobs on fiverr, but I don't really like doing it.. feels tedious and boring.

Do you enjoy programming?

If it's paying the bills and worth your time making $4 on Fiverr, then keep doing it BUT approach it as only temporary.

It seems like you are limiting those skills by doing it on Fiverr. Custom programming for local businesses seems like you can make WAY more than Fiverr. Try getting on Ryan Rice's list (she likes to come up with WP plugins solutions for businesses and are make a living doing it): WarriorForum - Internet Marketing Forums - shabit87

As far as doing programming as a career...you won't be happy if you're doing it just for the money. You need to find out what was it that drew you into programming and why now you are hating it.

Ex. Teachers become teachers b/c the reward they get by seeing a student develop/ turn around and thank them for it is worth a "million dollars." However, that love gets buried in the bureaucracy and politics that suddenly overshadow the teacher student relationship. So, maybe becoming a private tutor or something similar would be a more suitable profession.

Likewise, maybe you love the anonymity of working with computers and the cool possibilities programmers can achieve. But, you are doing work that is limiting your creativity.

Or, maybe you need to reexamine what your were born to do. Check out the book Strength Finder 2.0 to see your natural talents.

-Charlie

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xuled

Banned 14 years ago

[DELETED]

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Girin Jackson

14 years ago

Originally Posted by xuled

If you feel boring then you obviously should leave that job which you are doing.
Programming is all about concentration but if you feel then you can not give proper concentration.

I agree with this...
And the thing is that why person can do work, For money. I think no, it's for self satisfaction if he is satisfied then definitely he find a way to fulfil their need.

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xxmm94

14 years ago

doing something you like is better
if you don't like programing then let it go
and find another thing you like

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rising_sun

Banned 14 years ago

No it is not possible ,
at first you have to love it then start it.

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iaeo

14 years ago

I used to offer a coding gig on Fiverr building scrapers, but I had most of the code pre-written/memorized because it was the same thing every time. The thing is, I can almost guarantee that any coding you do on Fiverr is worth more than $5 (unless you were like me and had the whole thing pre-written).

To answer your question directly, I would advise against doing something you don't enjoy for a living; the exception being, of course, that it pays a decent, reliable income (I'm talking 9-5).

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derfootmarcus

14 years ago

I dont do programming but to touch up some sites... but from what I have seen, it is a lot more fun to program when you can make something you want or can be creative with, rather than doing repetitive work for others. Maybe you should try your own projects before you count out programming.

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iaeo

14 years ago

Yeah, I wouldn't quit programming just because the Fiverr work is boring. However, if you find that you don't enjoy doing it even when working on personal projects, then I guess it's just not for you. If everyone was cut out for coding, I'd be out of a job

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lordspace

14 years ago

Tony, for $5 there's no doubt that you don't like it.
What if you were making $30-$50/hour ?

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brettb

14 years ago

I love programming and do it for a living. If you're not obsessive about finding the most efficient way to do something, if you don't think that other people's code sucks ass [I'll tell you now that Wordpress is the most terrible piece of rubbish I've ever seen!!!!], then programming's not for you.

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BobThomason

14 years ago

Tony, I believe I can shed a little light here. I started a programming business back in 1990. It was great time to start and business was great for about the first 7 years as I was constantly coming up with new ideas and writing new code.

Then, it got to be a real challenge. I had a very hard time focusing on the code especially when the tasks got complex. I attributed it to ADD, however, it turns out it was a personality conflict not a disease.

After going through an online personality assessment, I found that my personality style would not allow me to concentrate for long periods of time. If I tried, I got very frustrated.

What I've learned over the years is that good programmers typically do not have good people skills but they can work on code for hours at a time with no problem. This is not being critical as we need them. It's just their style.

Let me say that we all have strengths and weaknesses. If you understand you personality and work within your strengths, you will enjoy it. Otherwise it can be very frustrating.

There are a number of companies that do this online which is the first step. Then you have to learn the strength for your style.

Regards,
Bob

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wayfarer

14 years ago

Originally Posted by BobThomason

After going through an online personality assessment, I found that my personality style would not allow me to concentrate for long periods of time. If I tried, I got very frustrated.

Bob, was it the Meyers-Briggs test? Do you remember what your personality type is? Mine is ENTP, a common engineer's personality.

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BobThomason

14 years ago

Wayfarer, no it was MyProfile. As I remember, Meyers-Briggs was more of an "interest inventory" than pure personality assessment.

MyProfile does not take interests into consideration. It merely calculates you personality style based on a series of about 40 questions if I remember this correctly.

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petebolduc 14 years ago

Programming is fun when you are learning new things but it does get tedious. I have found that having a pre designed template which includes all of the programming you might sell to the client takes the boring aspects out of setting the site up.

If the client does not purchase whatever, I simply leave it out. This template allows me to set the site up in a one to a few hours and then I am able to move on to the design which is always new as it is for a different client.

However, all in all, i like programming so I can deal with the tedious stuff. If you do not like programming doing stuff on fiverr then my recommendation is to get out of it and move on to something you enjoy.

The benefit for you is although you are not programming for a living, you still are in position to program stuff for your own projects and won't have to pay to have it done.
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wayfarer

14 years ago

Originally Posted by BobThomason

Wayfarer, no it was MyProfile. As I remember, Meyers-Briggs was more of an "interest inventory" than pure personality assessment.

MyProfile does not take interests into consideration. It merely calculates you personality style based on a series of about 40 questions if I remember this correctly.

Meyers-Briggs asks mostly social situation, thought process, reaction tendency, etc questions. I've noticed it is sometimes presented, or used as, a way of figuring out what you might be interested in, but that has nothing to do with the test itself. At least that's my observation.

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Charles Profit

14 years ago

Here is what I tell my kids. (Especially since they are getting to an age where they are about to choose what they want to take in University.)

1 - It's good if you don't hate the work you're doing.

2 - It's good if you make lots of money at what you're doing.

3 - Work is only 35-40 hours a week.

4 - Spending the money you make is 128 hours per week. This time is much more fun if you have much more money.

In a nutshell, I don't think my kids should take "underwater basket weaving" in University because they love it. They won't get work after University and the "other 128 hours" a week will suck.

Me? Personally? I love programming.

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Bruce Wayne

14 years ago

I would not do something I do not like. Doing what I love make me feel happy and fulfilled.

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ericwilson

14 years ago

I do programming as not to earn money because it is my passion and i am always hungry to invent something new and searching for new updates. If you not have passion to do programming then develop it as it is very good and feel nice.

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FirstSocialApps

14 years ago

Programming on Fiverr? Wow thats why your not enjoying it. I bet you would enjoy it much more if you were getting paid a decent wage for doing it. Get on Elance or Odesk and get paid proper for your work.

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John Ayling

14 years ago

It can be a pain sometimes when you're just doing it for money. But if you don't enjoy it at all, I'd say it's time to do something else - life's too short.

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edbarnes

14 years ago

I would not waste my time on anything I don't like doing, even if It makes money for me . Find your passion
Check out TopCoder.com, in the algorithms sections there are lots of task that I really like them, maybe you enjoy them too

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rasynomarlo

14 years ago

If it is concerned about me then I would like to say that yes, I like programming. I had chosen this field by my own interest and now that I am a programmer, I really like doing this work. In addition to that I would also like to say that a person should always opt for the thing into which he is interested. He shouldn't do anything being bounded, otherwise he and his work both will be effected.

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TheAlexander

14 years ago

I personally enjoy programmig, i can even say i couldn't live without it. I had a lot of friends that tried it, didn't like it and couldn't perform it. So they quit. But it depends on each person..

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ripsnorta2

14 years ago

Programming is a job or a hobby. If it's a hobby when it becomes troublesome to track down a bug or make the app work the tendency is to give up. When it's a job and you have to do those things it helps a lot more if you enjoy doing it.

I've been in software development now for nearly 30 years. I couldn't have done that if I didn't like the work.

If you don't like programming at all then give it a miss and hire a freelancer, you'll save yourself a lot of stress and probably get better results.

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michealburns

14 years ago

Programming is Fun. It always bring some new challenge to me. I love facing new challenges and that's the reason i enjoy doing programming.

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youngsterr

14 years ago

Yeah, if you don't quite enjoy it, don't do it. But at least make sure that you have attempted to "appreciate" it's potential before giving it up.

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explodes

14 years ago

well for me programming is everything. it is the job i love to do. but my advice is if you do not want to do it then don't. find something you like to do

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timmor29

14 years ago

The only reason to do something you don't enjoy is money. Let's face it - that's a pretty important reason. So I recommend figuring out what it is that you really enjoy doing, and in the meantime continue with programming to pay the bills. You could always continue taking some programming jobs on fiverr to make a little extra money, but if you don't enjoy it then definitely work towards finding a job that will make you feel fulfilled.

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john8954

14 years ago

Yes enjoy programming and love it too much. But by profession i am internet marketing professional but when i got time from my job, i definitely do. Money is not every thing some time your hobbies matter for life above than money. So do programming and you will also enjoy friend.

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roxitsc

14 years ago

sounds like a drag, maybe you should try focusing on something you like doing, and try getting money out of it.

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SC Qbiki

14 years ago

If you don't enjoy it, i suppose at some point you will find it hard to improve!

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Nspire

14 years ago

Life is too short to do a job that you do not enjoy doing.

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WEBGEEK

14 years ago

Programming is tedious work if you are not enjoying it.it fries your head.
If you are making good money then its okay

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dxter

14 years ago

Yes, if you don't you should find something you like to do.

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STG

14 years ago

doing something you don't like, will stop you eventually from progressing

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Rotwic

14 years ago

As the joker said.. If you're good at something, never do it for free. But then again, the Joker liked what he did. So i guess the answer to your question should be "no. Quit and do something that you like."

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Bryan Zazz

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Rotwic

As the joker said.. If you're good at something, never do it for free. But then again, the Joker liked what he did. So i guess the answer to your question should be "no. Quit and do something that you like."

always like it when someone quotes the joker, he is such a funny guy ...

reminds me when I started learning tennis.
The beginning was hard and tedious and boring, because I had all these new moves and shots to learn. But after a while, once I had all the basics under my belt, it started to get fun and I enjoy it. Now I love it. So first do something you love, but second something you do not enjoy right now, you might enjoy later. At least that's what my experience was. Same with programming, only here it took me a while until I found the tools I learned to love and enjoy... so don't give up yet, things might improve in future.
good luck!

PS. I would't listen to people saying "only do what you like" because sometimes it's good to "get out of your comfort zone" ... that's how you actually grow and better yourself

On this I like Nietzsche's famous quote "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger" ... reminds me of my Bunjee jump few years back ... I definitely not enjoyed the emotional slope to convince myself to jump into the abyss ... but that experience definitely make me grow ... so I'm definitely happy now that I did that. I never would have known this had I listened to the "stay in your comfort zone" half of the brain ...

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reboot38

14 years ago

Life's to short to do something you dislike/hate. I've been there - you'll regret forcing something for the sake of money. Especially for 4 bucks a gig

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boilingstocks

14 years ago

One should not do anything where his/her interest doesn't lie. If you'll spend time doing something which you are good at and enjoy doing it, you'll probably excel in that field, rather than struggling at something which doesn't sticks to your brain and mood.

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Huy Phan

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Tony Humble

Currently, I make some a bit of money from doing programming jobs on fiverr, but I don't really like doing it.. feels tedious and boring.

Do you enjoy programming?

Well, depends is there something else you like, and that can bring you enough/more money than doing programming?

I think you should be happy first, but on the other hand, even money plays a part in your happiness

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phpindia

14 years ago

I like programming because I have interest in it and it can't bored me because I love to do tedious and some innovative jobs. May be there will some business in our life but we will earn a lot.

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weaveronline

14 years ago

Do what you love to do and give it your very best. !

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seowonder56

14 years ago

I think you should stay away from such a thing which you dont like to do even if its programming. Do programming only if you like it.

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Evan-M

14 years ago

I love programming and designing ,thats why I do it....if I didn't i would be doing whatever I did love.

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Wenape

14 years ago

Don't do the Fiverr gigs if you don't enjoy them, but be sure to take advantage of your skills in another project. You could develop your own plugin or software which then you could make an offer of.

In my opinion, it's much more enjoyable if what you create something that you like and want to share with other people. In the process you could make a profit too.

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dexlink

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Tony Humble

Currently, I make some a bit of money from doing programming jobs on fiverr, but I don't really like doing it.. feels tedious and boring.

Do you enjoy programming?

Please skip it and go for the one you really do so as your mind will assist you to complete your tasks then.

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Dong Lee

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Tony Humble

Currently, I make some a bit of money from doing programming jobs on fiverr, but I don't really like doing it.. feels tedious and boring.

Do you enjoy programming?

I love programming

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ashok999333

13 years ago

Yes, I like enjoy programming. I program from 7.30 A.M. to 10.30 P.M. I even forgot to take my lunch at time. I loves to do them.

But if are not interested in doing them please don't do it.

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