Everyone wants to be free from 9 to 5
May11
Since I’ve started this blog, I’ve come across many many people trying to be free from 9 to 5, in one way or another. Some, like me, are developing a software product; others are studying how to better plan and manage their career/finances; and yet others are doing things way outside my realm of expertise who I can learn from. I thought I would just round everyone up in this post and wish everyone luck in their quest to be free from 9 to 5! If I missed you, please feel free to “advertise” here with a comment on how you’re also trying to ditch the day job.
David St. Lawrence – Ripples – Bent Crow Press
Star – astepcloser.com
Darren Rowse – problogger.net
Jeremy Wright – www.ensight.org
Neville Medhora – www.nevblog.com
Cubicle Coder – cubiclecoder.blogspot.com
Phil Wright – componentfactory.blogspot.com
Dave – www.buyeranalytics.com
Ian – www.userscape.com/blog
Michael Sica – www.michaelsica.com/ataraxissoftware
Lachlan Gemmell – lachlan.gemmell.com
Chris Cox – www.leaplogic.com
Jacob – greenplans.blogspot.com
Mr. Phil – www.mrphilgames.com
Craig Cecil – www.craigcecil.com
Jon – www.outerlevel.com
Lisa Verkley – goldwingnetwork.com
Brandon Doyle – www.freewebs.com/doyle
Just do something, anything!
May3
The very act of moving forward reveals doors to you not previously revealed.
I forgot where I read that, probably from Steve Pavlina again, but I’m finding it to be true. I’m not at my destination yet, but from where I was 3 months ago, with just a day job and wishful thinking, I now have a blog, some blogosphere relationships, a software idea and a software application (or close to one). It all started with just getting started:
- I started this blog in mid-March 2005.
- I met people (other bloggers) I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t start this blog.
- One of these blogger’s post gave me an idea.
- I coded a software app.
- Developing this app gave me ideas for TWO other related apps.
- I now have a fledgling software shop of my very own!
By no means is this supporting me or anywhere close to freeing me from my 9 to 5 job yet, but things are looking a great deal brighter now. And it all started with the mere act of starting a blog.
3 months ago, I knew starting a blog wouldn’t in any way free me from my 9 to 5 job. But I didn’t know what else to do, so I just did something related, anything, and this blog was it. One thing led to another and I’m working towards my very own software shop now. There’s something very liberating about knowing this that makes my 9 to 5 job a bit more tolerable (just a bit though). And I have to believe that this new direction I’m embarking on is how my newfound attitude towards deadlines and overtime came about.
You’re free if you love your job
Mar0
Another way to be free from a 9 to 5 is to really love what you do. Everyone is familiar with this. If you love what you do, then it won’t feel like a job. A prime example of someone who seems to have achieved this is Robert Scoble of Microsoft. He is a technical evangelist for Microsoft. Sort of like an informal grassroots marketing/PR guy. If you’ve been reading his weblog for a while, you can tell that he really likes his job. I bet, to him, his job doesn’t feel like a traditional 9 to 5 job.
Along the same vein, Steve Pavlina’s weblog contains a wealth of articles on finding your passion, your goals and your purpose in life. His weblog is about personal growth in general, but a subset of his articles focuses on finding out what you really want out of life, something that most traditional 9 to 5 jobs are at odds with. Steve completed a bachelor’s degree in something like 18 months, decided a 9 to 5 wasn’t for him, so he founded a successful PC game development company (Dexterity Software) and is now embarking on a new career in public speaking. Steve also has a bunch of great articles on his Dexterity website intended for independent game developers, but anyone looking to shed a 9 to 5 job would benefit from them.