"The problem with doing a project that's important to you in your spare time is that there isn't any... If the only time you're working on your project is at five o'clock, then how important is it to you?" (5:57)

Obviously an oversimplification, but not by much. One of the common refrains I hear from folks who do indie dev is that they grow their side apps to a certain income level before they leave their 9-to-5 (or 7-to-7 or what-have-you). That's smart, of course. But it helps if your app ideas are reasonably-sized, and your outside commitments are reasonably small, and if you're able to hit big on your reasonably-sized app. That sounds smart and safe, right?

But those same constraints from the half-empty perspective are this: You can grow your important project into a living if your idea is small, you don't have a life, and you get really lucky.

I just blogged when I hit these quotes, but Coudal's point is, apparently, if you're not committed to your project, you're really not that serious. If it's a great idea, sell out. Doing things "in six months" or after you get something sustainable in your spare time shows (all practicalities aside for the moment) that you're afraid.

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