Every person I've known to do it, all three of them, has been the happier for it. These were all computer-science-degreed, top tier consultants. Just couldn't stand the industry anymore. One woman went off an trained to become a master clock builder, all off of having taken a tour of one builder's workshop only a few months prior! She's my hero.
I've considered it. I got halfway there, building museum props for a short spell. It wasn't enough money so I took the first programming contract that came my way. I do have to say, life has been much better as a freelancer than as an employee. It's still not perfect, though that is partly my own fault for not finding more clients.
I think that's a large part of it: the self determination of working for yourself. I know some people can't motivate themselves enough to get the work done on their own. I guess they just find working for someone else a lot easier than I do. I don't know, I wake up and remind myself of cubicle farms and it kicks my ass out of bed every morning.
I feel the same way about self-determination. The best thing for me about freelancing is that if you structure your workload well, you can tell any single client "no" and still be fine. That knowledge gives me a lot of negotiating strength, which lets me push back against the sort of plausible-but-wrong managerial notions that employees just shrug and accept.
I've considered it. I got halfway there, building museum props for a short spell. It wasn't enough money so I took the first programming contract that came my way. I do have to say, life has been much better as a freelancer than as an employee. It's still not perfect, though that is partly my own fault for not finding more clients.
I think that's a large part of it: the self determination of working for yourself. I know some people can't motivate themselves enough to get the work done on their own. I guess they just find working for someone else a lot easier than I do. I don't know, I wake up and remind myself of cubicle farms and it kicks my ass out of bed every morning.