[ThrustVectoring]

As an employee-level programmer, you're generally not going to find meaningful work. You're going to get handed messes, and in exchange for a paycheck you hand back slightly less chaotic messes that do some more stuff.

Switching jobs probably isn't going to fill the frustration you feel. The vast majority of jobs aren't meaningful. The ones that are don't pay particularly well or have other quality of life issues - school teachers aren't well paid, healthcare providers require vast amounts of training and work insane hours, and the overwhelming majority of artists don't make it.

The solution is to have work be the thing you do for forty hours a week that pays for the meaningful things you do in your life. Go home after eight hours. If you have a partner and kids, spend time with them. If you don't, consider getting them. Make some art in your spare time, or build side projects that have meaning for you. Go dancing. Make music. Write a blog. Write angry rants about how your work is meaningless. It really doesn't matter much.

There's no shame in quietly building a happy little life for yourself. You just don't hear about it too often because those folks are out being quietly happy.

[scalatohaskell]

This is what I came to realize as well, and it's what frustrates me. I have one of simplest job in the world (I see other people in other fields working so hard, for much less money), and I can't manage it because I'm so bored and frustrated). And that feeds back to even more frustration and unhappyness. I'd hope that I can find some meaningful job. At least something that makes sense a bit.

There's a lot of truth in what you write. Thanks. Problem is, I am extremely goal oriented person. I need a carrot in front of me to chase - that's what drives me and what makes me get up at bed. I used to do sports professional when I was younger, and I was always obsessive about wining, up to putting tremendous hours into it. My self-analysis, maybe completely wrong, is that I carried it into my adult life, but can't find nothing meaningful to compete in now.

[ThrustVectoring]

At a fundamental level, the important question is "what do I need to be okay with my life?" If you don't know what you need, it's extraordinarily difficult to figure out how to get it.

For me, it's enough money to not have to worry about finances, a tolerable working environment, a few meaningful relationships, and a couple avenues for giving back to my community in a concrete manner. I don't have nearly the competitive focus that you do, and it definitely sounds like you need an outlet for it. Speed-running super mario 64 could be a good option if you want the status points. Or if you're secure enough financially to fail at it full-time, getting into sales would be fantastic for you.

[taway_1212]

Maybe try climbing the career (mgmt) ladder?

[scalatohaskell]

perhaps. I'm contracting now though, so it's impossible. I thought that maybe if I get in -> fix/build stuff -> get out, it will be exciting enough.

[kiliantics]

An alternative is to join a company that is working on something meaningful. Maybe there's no way to get around writing code for messy projects but perhaps those projects could be in service of something you believe in. You could be a developer at a non-profit, in a co-operative, or for a political campaign.

[antisthenes]

"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."

[jonathonf]

> school teachers

Teaching truly is a vocation; you don't (let alone can't) do it for the pay. Before you consider it, if you don't know any teachers, don't go into teaching; you need to know what it entails.

[mabbo]

In Ontario you do. Teachers here are paid so well that most young new grads with teachers degrees spend years doing supply teaching before they get a real teaching position.

My sister gave up and started teaching in England instead.

[jonathonf]

While the pay is different, the situation is the same in England for Primary teachers in "desirable" locations (e.g. good schools, rural and suburban schools). Positions in some areas simply don't exist until teachers retire.

[nunez]

i read this as "give up; you won't go far in your career as a dev"

not sure if that's what you intended.

[ThrustVectoring]

No, I'm saying that most of the value in a dev career is from the paycheck. Want to feel like you make a meaningful difference? Spend time with your loved ones, volunteer somewhere, or pick up a hobby.