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Threw myself at problems, incorrectly perceived them to be the most important goal of my life, failed to achieve results. Did this 3 times on repeat.

I guess I did not really know what "throwing myself" at something meant until after I realized I was burnt out. There's a sense of dehumanization in the process, where the goal/solution becomes bigger than you, becomes more important than anything else. The thrill and excitement of doing something challenging drives you for a while, and it seems logical to not spend time in your "personal life". You lose track of messages in your threads with friends, and once in a while respond with a "sorry I was busy" response that everyone around you has gotten used to from you. To answer more directly, one of the red flags I missed was how I let the problems take control of myself, instead of the other way around.

Got out of it by leaving the company I was working at and worked independently for about a year. Found my own pace, got back in close connection with my friends and family, focused on my relationship.




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