My largest regret

"I worked too much" is a common regret on elder's deathbeds, but what about "I worked too little"?

My personal regret is going to be that. I worked too little during the first half of my 20s.

It's a cliche: but getting complacent is not nice, in retrospect.

After I got my first job, I stopped learning with the fervor I learnt with for the first 5 years of my software engineering journey.

I didn't keep pushing at my job, I didn't look for opportunities, I wasted my free time on YouTube and forums.

I burnt out, due to simply doing the soul sucking activity of wasting time at work instead of working.

I turned that around over the last couple years by simply taking life seriously.

1. I started a side business with a good friend, which we've been working on for 2 years now, this has kept me learning new technical skills and new soft skills, particularly around project management.

2. I spend a couple hours a week on a passion side project. Just proving to myself that writing simple, high quality software IS possible. And pushing the limit of my skills.

3. I throw my everything at my day job. Maybe they "don't pay enough". Maybe they "don't deserve it". But throwing my everything allows me to keep developing myself, and prevent burnout.

If you're interested in this subject I suggest you read "Linchpin: Are You Indispensable" by Seth Godin. My best friend and mentor recommended it to me, and it's now one of my favorite books.