[jayroh]

It's funny how fast and profoundly "perspective" will hit you. When I was a young programmer I always dreamed of that promotion and comp adjustment. Constantly looking for that next step. That's not inherently bad, per se, but once you reach a particular place you come to find out what the commensurate responsibility looks like. Sometimes -- dare I say, often? -- it's just not fun. That's what they pay you for, though, right?

The friends and colleagues in my cohort, the ones NOW with larger financial and familial responsibilities, curse their former selves for not knowing how good they had it.

I guess all that is to say, as cliche as it is, "be careful what you wish for".

[zeroonetwothree]

Grass is greener etc.

Other peoples situations always seem better/easier. We don’t have enough data and are just too poor at objective evaluation.

[at-fates-hands]

>> Grass is greener etc.

This is so true.

After spending a decade in software development, I'm finally staying put where I am. So many times as a developer you hate something about your job. So you go out and interview, build some stuff for show on GitHub, and then finally land that job that's going to take away all your worries and grievances you have with your current employer.

Only to find out all you did was swap one set of problems for another, totally different set of problems which weren't an issue at your former employer.

You either accept this stuff as just something every company has, or you'll go crazy trying to find a perfect company/startup/agency to work at and you'll never get any further in your career.

[phil21]

The grass is never greener, it's just a different shade of brown.

[wccrawford]

I caught this perspective early, and would be very clear in interviews that I didn't ever want to be a manager. I had a lot of interviewers ask, "Don't you have any ambition?"

My answer was always that I did, I got to where I wanted to be, and I intend to stay there. I'm a programmer. I program. Ambition realized.

And with the money that programmers make, it seems even more ridiculous to suggest that I had no ambition while applying for a job as "senior developer" or "lead developer".

[Sohcahtoa82]

Management and engineering require two completely different skillsets and are two completely separate jobs.

Just because someone is a great engineer doesn't mean they'd be a good manager. I'd be scared to work under a manager that doesn't acknowledge and believe this.

[3-cheese-sundae]

I’m in this position as well, but over time I’m becoming more concerned about getting pushed out of independent contribution by ageism.

[taylodl]

That's why I've never gone into management. It's not an honor to be a manager, it's a skill - and that's not a skill I want to develop. Better to work for a company that recognizes technical talent is a skill that's at least as-important as management and will financially compensate accordingly for that skill.

[hgsgm]

Being more successful younger makes it easier to handle financial responsibilities later.

Partying when you are young isn't something always looked back on fondly. Fun is good now and in future expectation.

[Jistern]

Those are wise words.