Consulting is like running though: the minute you get tired and stop a minute or two, your velocity is gone - no more money coming in. A functioning business is more like a bicycle - it's not like you're just along for the ride, you have to work, but you can coast a little bit now and then. For instance, vacations. That's true for both bosses and employees.
I enjoy consulting too, but it leaves me with the feeling of not building or being part of something for the future... if that makes sense.
I enjoy consulting too, but it leaves me with the feeling of not building or being part of something for the future... if that makes sense.
Here's how I'd fix that: start building a set of reusable components which you own the property to and license it to your contractees. If it gets useful enough and you need the money, you might even be able to start charging money for it. Think of whatever you're building as the platform of the future ;)
Worst part about consulting (for me) was having to be gone from my family so much -- and the lack of permanent friendships at work.
The part about not being able to slow down or you die? I actually like that part. Technology is always changing, and I like the fact that I'm constantly challenged to find real, solid value in what I'm learning or doing. Keeps me on my toes. Although I freely admit it's not for everybody.
I coast by taking as much time as I want between gigs.
I have family members who are "normal" -- they want a 9-5 job, long-term responsibilities and friendships, and they want to forget all about work when they punch out. The don't want things to change, and they want promises they can rely on for the future. They want somebody else to worry about things changing. I respect that. I'm just not that way. I tell folks that consulting has probably ruined me for life as far as ever being a useful company man.
I really get not wanting to do a 9-5, but on the other hand, the more I get long-term responsibilities of my own, like a child, the more I think trying to build a business of some kind is, long term, better than consulting, in terms of doing stuff on your own terms.
As you age, you get more experience, but are less able to pound out tons of code, and spend tons of time keeping up with the latest thing.
I think you've just accurately described why I'm on HN so much and why I've spent the last several years learning about startups instead of .NET 7.0
And also why I now help teams out instead of being the 18-hour code monkey. Still love coding, but you reach the natural limits of these things and have to move on. You also reach the point where you have to start thinking long-term instead of short-term.
EDIT: I'd add that I'd much rather be the guy who knows a dozen different languages and databases, has had experience in a lot of industries, and is used to working hard and saving, yadda yadda -- I'd rather be that guy looking to get into startups than the guy who took the 4-year degree, punched the clock everyday for years, trusted his company to take care of him, and is now wondering where his future went and whom to blame.
I think we pretty much agree: I think my writing is mostly to encourage younger people to think about building something rather than just going off into consulting.
Ah, but in your analogy, salaried employment would be like walking, since it moves you forward more slowly (in terms of money) and is more continuous.
If you're running, you can stop every once in a while, sometimes for long enough to get a cup of coffee, and still stay ahead of the guy who set off walking at the same time as you.
I'm not going to try and push the analogy too far, but in good jobs (I think they're rarer, but do exist), you can take vacations, get sick, and things like that. With consulting, the minute you're not working or hustling to find new gigs, you're not going anywhere.
Right, that's the good part about consulting, the honesty. The agreement is "Pay me roughly twice what you pay everybody else, and I'll deal with all the benefits stuff myself".
Also included in that price tag is the ability to be let go at any time for any reason. In an ironic way, that actually tips the terms further to the site of consulting, since the reality is that salaried employees will also be let go at any time when the company decides to do so.
So yeah, you have to save some money. Fortunately, they give you a lot extra so that you can.
I enjoy consulting too, but it leaves me with the feeling of not building or being part of something for the future... if that makes sense.