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What Jonathan Coulton Learned From The Technology Industry (geekwire.com)
In a new article on GeekWire, Jonathan Coulton explains why he left a comfortable software development job in 2005 to launch a career as an online singer-songwriter. But he also describes the things he learned from the tech industry.
"These guys were doing this thing they wanted to do, this thing they felt competent doing. They didn't chase after things, and they worked hard, but it was a business they created because they enjoyed it. They tried to minimize the things they didn't want to do. It wasn't about getting rich; it was about getting satisfied...
"I wanted to a set a good example to my children. I wanted to be the person I wanted to be, someone willing to take chances -- a person who didn't live with enormous regrets..." Within the first year, he had not replaced his software salary, but had enough success to cover his babysitter and to keep food on the table.
When he was younger -- in the pre-internet days -- "It was very unclear how to become a musician," Coulton explains. But somehow rolling his own career path eventually led to a life which includes everything from guest appearances on radio shows to an annual cruise with his fans (this year featuring Aimee Mann, Wil Wheaton, and Redshirts author John Scalzi).
"I wanted to a set a good example to my children. I wanted to be the person I wanted to be, someone willing to take chances -- a person who didn't live with enormous regrets..." Within the first year, he had not replaced his software salary, but had enough success to cover his babysitter and to keep food on the table.
When he was younger -- in the pre-internet days -- "It was very unclear how to become a musician," Coulton explains. But somehow rolling his own career path eventually led to a life which includes everything from guest appearances on radio shows to an annual cruise with his fans (this year featuring Aimee Mann, Wil Wheaton, and Redshirts author John Scalzi).
Anything you really put your heart into, you're going to be at least good enough to get by. It doesn't take much to stand out from a crowd of people who only do their job. This may sound trivial, but it honestly took me a long time to understand this. I'm not a social person, so getting attention for anything I do always weirds me out, to the point where I interpret it as sarcasm. But there's definitely a pattern: Do something you really care about and people do take note, and that's all it takes.
He still probably has more money than you and could retire comfortably (even if not a life of luxury). How does that compare to you, and your soon to be training your dothead replacement, cubicle dweller life?
"Mediocre" Artists who have written the theme song (and geek anthem) of two of the biggest puzzle games of all time ? Who is a regular at geek events ? And who is pretty much the model for Indie Music Publishing ?
Seriously, if you don't recognize Jonathan Coulton, you need to turn in your geek card. . .
This is the problem with taking advice from successful people: it's tainted by self-selection bias. It's obvious that making a lot of money doing something you love is a good way to live, but it's also obvious that this is impossible for most people. However, nobody interviews the mediocre majority, we only interview the outliers who have successfully followed their dreams. I suppose it gives us hope that we could have been happy and successful if only we had followed our dreams, without having to actually test that hypothesis.