Hello.

[warning: guns and dildos ahead]

“Why in the hell are you spending your free time on this, of all the things you could spend

your free time on?”

Nearly every great thing in my life was the result of my side projects

The Importance of Side Projects

Matt Haughey@mathowie

¯\_( )_/¯

Historically famous people with side projects

Side Projects in Tech

My side projects

Big Lesson #1Approach things by saying “well that’s

cool, how do I do that too?”

Big Lesson #2Take advantage of luck. Don’t waste it.

Big Lesson #3Share what you learn, so others can

follow.

Priorities1. Family

2. My Job

3. My Side Projects

4. Everything else (hobbies like running and cycling, working out, watching TV, reading, going to movies and live music shows, etc.)

Big Lesson #4Make time for projects by making them a

priority in your life.

“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something

else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out

what's next.”— Steve Jobs

Nearly every great thing in my life was the result of my side projects

1. Met my wife (hiking club)2. Changed careers (learned HTML)3. Ran my own business for 16 years (built my first web app)4. Wrote a few books (thanks to blogging)5. Sold a company (Fuelly, another sideproject)6. My first visit to Barcelona! (speaking=side gig)

Big Lesson #5Side projects don’t directly equal fame

and fortune, but that’s ok.

Homework!1. Write down a list of ideas

2. Pick one thing.

3. Cut out TV time, spend a couple weeks on it.

4. Tell friends so they check up on you.

Example

Some conclusions…

OK Go

Don’t trap yourself in boxes

Some conclusions…

Thanks for your time, go have lunch!