[immibis]

I've diagnosed myself with a lack of motivation, not a lack of energy. (Which is also what "burnout" refers to, by the way)

I could, in theory, spend six months writing Uber for dogs. But why would I? That hardly feels worth it. Or I could try to implement AF_ONION in the Linux kernel. Also doesn't really feel motivating. Or (let me check the list) port libsodium to WUFFS. Write a framework for interactive tablet applications (at least on the pinetab2). Try to compile something by telling an LLM to pretend it's gcc, just for laughs. Set up an IRC botnet (the legal kind). Write an SSH honeypot. Set up an MQTT server so I can log my own location via an app on F-Droid. All stuff that seems slightly interesting but not enough to actually do it. And what seems interesting enough to focus on it for a few months to the exclusion of all other possibilities? Nothing at all.

Just today I wanted to post a link to a meme in IRC, but all the Google results were on garbage sites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and Imgur. I could go build a meme hosting site where you just have direct links to images. Maybe it would even be the best one. That's how Imgur got started. Still doesn't feel worth doing.

[bigyabai]

It sounds like you're a little too focused on metrics of success. Something can be "worth it" if it works well and nobody but you uses it. If you look at everything through the lens of opportunity cost, you'll be kicking yourself for not curing cancer. It's okay to work on an unambitious, likely unsuccessful side project. That time is only "wasted" if you're not proud of the work and can't show it to future employers.

[immibis]

I'm not focused on any particular metric other than motivation here.

I'm sure some things on my ideas list could make a bunch of money - like taking some SaaS everyone hates because it's enshittified, making one that's not enshittified yet, then selling it to an enshittification company in a few years for a big payout. You'd think the possibility of money would be motivating, but it's not.

I do have unsuccessful side projects that I do sometimes work on, and I'm not motivated to finish them to any substantial degree either.