A question for the Fastlaners!

[anshulverma]

I have a question to the Fastlaners.

Before that, let me give you some context. I am a 22 year old software developer. I wanted to become a software engineer since I was about 12-13 years old. Not for money, but I always wanted to provide value to people around me, especially to my family, and when I saw that software engineers earn much more than other jobs I decided to become one. Now, after becoming what I always wanted to become, I realise that this job will not let me achieve my dreams.

My parents' financial condition is not great, and I provide as much as I can.

I recently read The Fastlane. After reading the book, I am filled with motivation and passion to switch the roadmap, but the entity holding me back is "Uncertainty".

Uncertainty that me leaving my job will be a good decision.
Uncertainty that if I leave my job to create a business, will it work.
Uncertainty of me getting a job if I fail my business.
Uncertainty of me being able to provide for my family.

And I believe that this Uncertainty comes from not having a clear roadmap, a plan or an innovative idea. I am not sure what I would do after leaving my job. This is why even after reading fastlane, I am unable to gather enough courage to resign the job which I don't like. (I don't particularly 'hate' my job, but I don't like the fact that I don't get enough time to upskill and to even think about other things. I get home late and tired. I am young and I want to enjoy life.)

Now, my question to the Fastlaners is, how do you gather courage to begin, to leave things behind, to resign from job, to move to a different city...?
Or do you not think too much and just press the accelerator? Or do you follow some other advice/mantra?

 

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[Vamsi Interviews]

You can also try building a business on the side without taking any drastic life-changing steps. I think when the pain of remaining in your current state exceeds the pain of changing, you'll be able to move to a brand new place or quit a job, just like MJ wrote in TMF . But if you're not at that point, there's no reason to force it.

Why not dedicate 1 day a week to working on your business?

 

[Kenneth Tang]

And I believe that this Uncertainty comes from not having a clear roadmap, a plan or an innovative idea. I am not sure what I would do after leaving my job.

There in lies your problem. And your answer.

If you don't yet have a destination, or roadmap, or plan, then you cannot resign from your job, even if it looks like it's never going to let you achieve your dream (by the way, what kind of job is it?)

As you said, your parents' situation is not great, and you contribute as best you can. And that means your family needs your contribution. TMF does not advocate going off half-cocked, full-steam-ahead-damn-the-torpedoes, with no plans, no idea what to do, no market, etc., etc. It doesn't advocate going gung-ho, "Yeeeeehaw, COWABUNGA!"

Instead, if nothing else, it asks us to be strategic, patient and focused.
So, what to do?

Don't leave your job, to begin with. Stay where you are, and do your job with all the dedication and conscientiousness it deserves; otherwise, it would be akin to "stealing" from your company.

As a software engineer, what is it, specifically, that you do everyday? Perhaps you could spot some problems in the company's processes, or ways of doing things? Perhaps you could see how to do things better? What if you came up with something to solve those problems, and approach your employer with a proposal to let you develop it on the side, and you sell it back to the company?

That will give you a start.

If the company's policy is that whatever you came up with as an employee belongs to the company, fine. Work to implement that solution, and maybe negotiate a raise or bonus, get it onto your CV, let it be known to all that you created and implemented that solution.

If no raises or bonuses are forthcoming, fine. Work it to get the experience. And when you are working it, begin to play entrepreneurial mind games, hypothetically.

"What if I were tasked to bring this to market? What would I do? Who can help me to build it? Sell it? Finance it? What can I offer to financial partners to get them into the game? Do I even need financial partners? Maybe I can get my employer to come in as a partner?"

The point is to "move your mind", and not let it stay stuck. As you play the game, your mind will open up, and ideas will come to you. I'm not saying that you have to go this route. I'm just saying to get your mind moving into the paths of possibility.

Who knows, by playing this and similar mind games, you may come up with a totally different idea that you can run with by yourself or with allies. After you have a concrete idea, and have fleshed it out somewhat, begin approaching potential clients, line up a few, give them free trials, or whatever it is that can let them taste what it is you have for them. And if they like it, get them to start paying WHILE you are still at your job (It's not a side-hustle, per se, but an intelligent start on a new, focused venture)

Seems like a lot of work, and it is, but it's better than going out there in the wild, guns slinging, only to find "you ain't go no bullets".

If after all this, you still have no particular idea what to do, hit me up via DM. Since you're a software engineer, I have something up my sleeves that could use your perspective, and we could explore it together.