[PreInternet01]

Not quite in my 60s just yet, but close. Anyway:

Work: find your niche. Accept that you're not going to be a hotshot coder/consultant/whatever forever. However, outside of 'fashionable tech' there is an entire world where you can make a comfortable living and nobody cares about your age. That doesn't mean you can stop learning: remaining up-to-date on relevant skills is important, but 'relevant' does a lot of heavy lifting there. Be knowledgeable/reliable instead of trendy.

Leisure: don't put off things you truly want to do until some unspecified later date. You might not make it (see 'health' below). Find at least one activity to enjoy on at least a weekly basis, travel (even if it's close to home), go for walks, spend time with your loved ones.

Health: everything truly and rapidly gets worse once you're 50. Stop smoking now, stop drinking now (or at least moderate a lot), talk to a doctor on a regular basis, take care of your teeth (really).

(That last paragraph is awfully generic, but until such time that we invent time machines, a very important one...)

[JohnFen]

Everything you wrote is wonderful, but I wanted to expand on this:

> Accept that you're not going to be a hotshot coder/consultant/whatever forever.

I would add that it's likely that you won't even want to be a hotshot whatever forever. Getting older is like every other change in the stages of life. Some doors close, some doors open, but mostly -- what you enjoy and want out of life changes. Embrace that, and don't keep chasing the things you wanted in youth purely out of habit.

[6ak74rfy]

I am in my thirties and had this exact realization recently.

It’s so true. There were things I imagined myself becoming or doing when I was younger. I never got to them but also had nagging feelings about them every once in awhile.

Once I let go, it was liberating. I now pick a few things I go deep into and other things will just have to wait or may never happen, and I am okay with that.

[gigatexal]

This should probably be enshrined on tablets somewhere.

I too am worried about either moving into management or starting my own company or something else because there’s no way I’m going to be a worthwhile IC into my 50s. I need to do something more.

[epicureanideal]

I sure hope I have a big exit sometime before 60 (20 years from now), because the cost of living in the Bay Area is crazy. It would be awful to work as a "well paid" (but most of it goes to living expenses and raising kids) software engineer for many years, and then need to retire in some rural area on social security, with bare minimum quality of life...

[scarface74]

Hoping for a big exit is about like those hoping to retire from winning the lottery.

Only 1 out of 10 companies “succeed” and that definition of success is the VCs make their money back.

Better idea, leave the Bay Area.

[rorroe53]

Rural area isn't bad if you find the right place, hobbies and a proper house. Lots of opportunities for outdoor activities, such as gardening and trekking, which also help keep you healthy.

[badpun]

You should be able to sell your Bay Area house for millions by then.

[KyeRussell]

Bay Area life is hardly necessary and shouldn’t be taken as a given. You’re making an active decision to take the gamble on earning a lot on paper but being in a super HCOL area. I earn a comfortable amount and am likely going to retire comfortably, though I certainly earn less than you. You’ve decided to take the risk. Own it or change.

[epicureanideal]

I'm not really sure there are other good options. Sure, high cost of living, but high income. Moving would reduce both, and in any case the different in savings would be insignificant compared to inherited assets.

[haspok]

Some people do like coding until retirement and are / were quite happy about it. (Recommended reading is thecodist.com - who recently started blogging again!)

[PhilAT]

I'm 47 and although currently feeling a little burnt out (I've been here before. I'll be finishing my current contract in a few weeks for a well earned break), I know I love coding and pretty sure I always will having spent the last 40 years coding. I've done a bit of management, led teams etc, and I'm actually pretty good but I can't get excited about it. Maybe in 10 years I'll feel differently but I know I'm still a coder because I want to be not because I fear doing something different.

If you want to change your path and you feel fear then that's probably what you should be doing. A little fear/excitement keeps the motivation.

[swah]

Thanks for the blog suggestion - didn't know that one. In the topic of getting old, just bought a couple split keyboards to solve some wrist issues.

[scarface74]

Why not? I’ll be 50 next year and I’m very much an IC.

[emodendroket]

> I too am worried about either moving into management or starting my own company or something else because there’s no way I’m going to be a worthwhile IC into my 50s

I'm curious why you say this.

[gigatexal]

I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up but also worried I might not be able to compete with the young guns and make the kind of money I’ll need to put away so I don’t retire destitute.

[emodendroket]

I'm only 35 so I'm comparatively young but still older than a lot of my colleagues... I probably do not have the same energy or drive I used to, especially having a young kid at home, but I think in a lot of ways that's compensated for by having more experience to draw on. My hope is that holds up in the future.

[JohnFen]

There's nothing inherent about getting older that will keep you from being able to keep up with the young guns. It's just a matter of interest, as it is at any age.

[esel2k]

How do you niche down would be my question here.

I am 40 next year and have missed the opportunity to niche down - I work as Tech Product Manager and enjoy my job but find very little opportunity to really focus on something I truly enjoyed. Either the startup run out of money, the project in the large org got cancelled or there was simply not product role available.

I'd be glad to know if somebody has an advice on how to niche down (technology, domain, personality, branding etc.) Thank you