I do not mind work a lot, usually I don't experience burnout if I'm working on something that I'm profoundly interested into it. My sense of exhaustion comes from not knowing where to focus my energy. I guess HN could be a good place where to have this conversation since feel like the best place to find people with a similar experience/feeling to mine.

> usually I don't experience burnout

Are you sure you understand what burnout really is?

> My sense of exhaustion comes from not knowing where to focus my energy

Yeah, that sounds like burnout all right. But don't ask HN, ask a therapist.

Yeah, I have no idea whether it's because I'm not American or just a lazy loser or something, but the manic "how do I make more $$$$$$$?!?!" mentality is alien and repulsive to me lol.

I do work because I like it (and, unsurprisingly, the things that are most likeable are the least profitable or practical). And I don't do it at an unsustainable pace, which anything you're trying to profit from inherently demands. And the only way to profit in software is to pin your users down to a table and give them a night of value extraction they'll never forget. You also have to work with cringe technologies, like web tech. Money is the root of all evil to me, and being obsessed with it seems unhealthy af and a disgusting basis for technological curiosity/craft.