In this video I’m sharing my real experience after 2+ years working as a software developer, especially for you if you’re deciding between a CS degree, an expensive bootcamp, or you’re self-teaching and wondering what a full-time programming job is actually like. I’m not trying to romanticize the “cozy office + dream salary” story—this is straight from what I’ve seen in two companies, so you can prepare yourself earlier and do better. First, I learned the hard way that not every coder has a builder mindset. I assumed most engineers would be excited about building products, business opportunities, and leveraging new tech—but many are simply comfortable with 9–5 and small talk, and that mismatch can be draining if you’re more entrepreneurial like me. Second, companies can switch tech stacks anytime, and in the real business world you’re expected to deliver on a timeline—there’s no honeymoon period to “learn slowly.” Third, corporate politics can get toxic when people believe the only way to earn more is climbing the ladder, comparing salaries, and pulling others down. Even with all that, if I could turn back time, I’d still self-teach and land a coding job—because you’ll learn real SDLC, build your network, solve financial problems faster, and then use code to chase freedom by building and selling products globally.