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Ask HN: What would you like to do for a living if you weren't doing what you do?

7 points by adg001 ↗ HN
Ever dreamed about a career shift? In retrospective do you think there is another career path that would have you suited more than the current one? If there is one, what is stopping you from pursuing a shift in your career today? If not now, when?

11 comments

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jleyank
Guitar session player. To be known as "if it has strings, he plays it". I think I've been a hired gun in my career but as a guitarist people could relate... I ran my race career-wise and it's up to others. Back to hackin'.
qualudeheart
Embedded security research. Assembly language development.
CharleFKane
I’d like to decide who lives and who dies.

Second choice: philosopher king.

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ragebol
Woodworking,or just creating physical stuff
muzani
I like my job, but I'd like to cook or draw for a living. Maybe writing, but that would be more painful than coding. None of those jobs pay well, though.
jgaa
I asked myself that exact question yesterday.

I have been coding, mostly in C and C++ for more than 30 years. Right now I am profoundly frustrated by all kind of management jerk-off rituals that results in friction and slows down innovation and slowly strangles - well - just the joy of solving interesting challenges with code.

So, after having a few beers with my dog, we came up with the following list: Writing another book, opening a bar, mentoring high level engineering managers, opening a laser tag arena, and - may be the most tempting - opening a Night Club in a metro area, with live music, mini concerts, standup comedians, drag shows, pole dancers, cabaret nights - some really awesome place with a nice atmosphere and lots and lots of creativity - like a modern remix of "Rick's Café Américain" from Casablanca and the "Kit Kat Klub" from Cabaret.

RioEmperio
Being a teacher has always been my dream. And so if things had gone different in my life, I would probably be teaching.
ryanchants
Working the line in a fine dining restaurant. I did it previously, and prefer it greatly, but the pay just can't compare.

I've also considered teaching software dev at a community college as an alternative/partial retirement job eventually.

gdfgjhs
Marine biologist or something where you spend time under water. In my recent experiences, nothing made me as happy and calm as when I am doing scuba or free diving.