This post is originally published on my blog Thoughts on Losing Steam in Things You Love To Do

I remember 4 years ago when I’m still a fresh graduate of Computer Science degree. I was so excited to start working ‘cause it feels like I would be able to learn a lot and I’m so excited to apply why I learned on college in coding and programming.

My first work gives me some sort of authority and flexibility to explore a lot of technologies. It’s a company that provides design and development to other business ‘also known as dev shop’. Everything seems good at the beginning since you are learning a lot.

At some point, I hit the plateau with regards to skills and everything starts to become repetitive, and the things I used to love to do (coding and building things) become such a drag that I no longer enjoy doing it at that time. I think it was something to do with repetitive work and if it’s no longer ‘spark joy’ in you.

I couldn’t believe that the things that you used to love before start to become things you hate the most. It no longer brings joy and you are only doing it for the sake of surviving(money). It was me when I finished my first corporate.

That event triggers something in me which makes me curious if there are other things out there. I start to explore other things. Then I found the world of freelancing, startup, business, and entrepreneurship. It really blows my mind at the time. Thanks to my endless curiosity. It really changes the way I see the world.

In investing world there is term diversifying wherein it’s not good to put all your money in one basket ‘cause if your selected stock goes down you will suffer a lot. It was good to spread it on some other asset. I try to apply it with things that bring happiness to me. Besides coding I’ve learned other things such as writing, playing guitar. Although I’m not world-class at those skills I’m good enough to satisfy myself when I get bored on doing one specific skill.

It would be nice to have a clear distinction between a skill that satisfies your financial needs, and other skills that satisfy your soul.

Now, I start to love coding again since I've found a higher purpose on doing it. Plus, I've got a different skill that compliments it well which is this writing and designing. I’m combining those skills that I’ve acquired through time in creating and building things on my own. While still using some of my skills to earn money.