[Hisoka]

Doing stuff by yourself whether it's a startup, consulting, side projects are is very lonely. There's a lot of insecurity you will face, and the sad thing is there will be very little people to commiserate with, unlike the corporate world. Almost noone will understand the uncertainty you will face day-to-day. Noone will fathom the heavy decisions you will need to make. Noone will be there to give you the answers(although you can find mentors). If you will tell people what you're going through, they'll just nod your head and then try to change the subject to their boss, or American Idol. It's a very very lonely road.

[d_r]

Something definitely has to be said about having the right environment. If you're around people who are also doing hacking, this will help you immensely, even if they're not working on the same projects as you.