[hstreet]

I hope you can make it work. I am nowhere near the path to saving enough to retire soon. Although I'm still holding onto the hope that I could build my own path start enjoying programming again with the BS and pointless stress removed.

To make that work though, I'm done with the interview circus. It's been such a distraction over the past 3-4 years, that if I wasn't prepping for interviews or staying up to date with the waste of knowledge that they test for in tech interviews, I could've built a successful business already. Now I'm choosing to focus my time there.

[samtechie]

These days the effort required to get a well-paying programming job is more or less equivalent to the effort required to start your own business. If you can start a business. It's worth a shot. Worst-case scenario, the business fails and you are back on the job market but you can use your startup as a demonstration of your capability to deliver on projects that require time and dedication. You will also grow and learn a lot and be in a much better position than your competition.

[mettamage]

I am in your boat. I've been in the interview circus for 6 months. I'm quitting, I'm going to start something.

I still have the luxury to do so. So I should take my chances because industry sure isn't taking one on me.