Like many of us, I started early with software. I always stayed up to date, worked on projects in my free time, visited meetups. I took part in Hacktoberfest and Advent of Code. I derived a lot of self-worth from my profession, the solutions I designed, and the positive feedback I got. I was Daniel, the Software Guy.
Starting a new feature or having an idea for a bug fix, I always got a feeling of ecstasy and thrill in me that was not comparable to anything I had experienced before. The level of concentrated flow state I experienced was unmatched.
But now, how should one reach a flow state while waiting for five Claude agents in three projects to respond while filling my personal context window?
The tinkering, the algorithmic or architectural thinking. The high of lying awake because of a tough problem and finally finding a solution. It’s all gone. But that was why I was in it in the first place.
I never called myself a consultant. Meeting with non-tech-savvy people and fighting over feature details was never what I was passionate about. I know that this was part of the deal, but now that is all that is left. Unfortunately, this seems to be the only option for me to keep working in this industry.
Of course, I cannot condemn the use of AI. It enables us to create software with a level of quality and speed never seen before. It would be economically dumb not to use it.
But that’s why I do not see much sense in searching for another employer handling things differently. I don’t see how I will be able to find something that will meet my need for creativity and ownership in this industry.
Everything that made sitting in front of a computer all day bearable is gone. So I guess I will begin my search for something that keeps me alive and gives me another kind of fulfillment in the real world.