I'm addicted to being useful

22 days ago

The author loves their job as a software engineer despite industry challenges.
They compare themselves to Akaky Akaievich from Gogol's 'The Overcoat', who loves his dysfunctional job.
The author feels compelled to solve problems, especially when uniquely positioned to do so.
They describe their work as perfectly tailored to their 'addiction to being useful'.
Many software engineers are driven by internal compulsions like solving puzzles or having control over their work.
The author advises on managing the need to be useful to avoid exploitation and maximize impact.
They highlight the importance of understanding one's motivations to harness them effectively.

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