In defense of developer depression:
Reflecting on my journey in Bitcoin over the last decade, I've come to realize that I've achieved success where a lot of other developers have failed.
Ironically, one of the biggest issues I'm still dealing with is that I may have succeeded too much. As a developer, you must understand that unfortunately, most people you’ll end up working with will not want you to succeed. The majority will simply want you to code what is needed for their success… and then go away. Disappear.
The core problem for you is that creating anything great requires deep coding focus for extended periods. You also need to constantly iterate on the product while ensuring it gains traction. Many developers mistakenly believe they can do both.
The hard truth is that you shouldn’t be doing this. You shouldn’t have to choose which part to handicap – your developer skills or the reach of the product you’re building.
Don’t fall for the false dilemma. Instead, find trusted collaborators who allow you to stay in a state of deep focus. Look for people who, once you create something that generates enormous amounts of value, won’t take your contributions for granted or betray you by claiming all the rewards for themselves.
My own immense success… it’s depressing to know that it had more to do with other people than myself. Yes, of course, I worked hard for it. I honed my craft for over 25 years. Studied computer science and led engineering at numerous startups. Stayed humble, while churning out commits for decades. But every time it came down to the wire, none of that mattered. What truly mattered was whether certain people recognized my contributions and stood up for my proof of work… or not.
So, if you are a developer – knowing that even in best-case scenarios you’ll depend on the goodwill of others is soul-crushing. You absolutely should be depressed.
But then recognize that the way out of that depression is through long-term commitments with others who resonate with the coding journey you’re on. Only surround yourself with trustworthy people. There is a reason that 4-year vesting schedules are standard in startups. For you and your code to truly succeed - you have to be part of long-term efforts with significant upside.
Anything less – and you’re setting yourself up for failure. You don’t want to create a routine where you daily force yourself into states of deep focus, only to see that after a couple of years of building, you’re defeated by an inferior product that has better marketers at the helm. You also don’t want to lose your technical competency in building political and promotion skills… this world needs more developers, not more politicians.
Observe your depression, but don’t succumb to it. In most cases, it correlates with how deeply you care about your craft. It’s a hint – that the way forward is with others. So, don’t fight your feelings, but follow them to find trusted collaborators who will help you realize the best version of the product you’re coding.
