[illuminant]

Yeah, throw all/most of that insight away, it's a sea anchor dragging you into the depths.

You're barely half way through your "commoditized workforce" lifecycle. Start doing things for yourself at any time.

Say a sentence to yourself that you want to be true. "I have made a vision detection solution for classifying cats." "I have created infographic heat maps of political manuer." "I have created a web game." And do that on the side until it is true. If you liked it as much as you thought you would, angle for that. It will at least give you something peppy for the interviews.

Otherwise, keep turning the lathe and hope abstract economic stabilities continue to grease your wheels of life.

[pims]

Building some kind of steady, independent lifestyle business (that's how I interpret your answer, correct me if I'm wrong) is an option but stays a bet and nothing says it would survive through the years. Salaried employment feels like a safer bet, despite the doubts I mentioned.

There are several side projects I started, halted, came back to, etc. over the years, and I love them but none of them could actually pay the bills. I also struggle to be consistently productive when I'm not part of a team.