I have 7 years of experience, mostly in JavaScript/Node.js, but I coasted for years and now feel unqualified for senior roles. I was recently fired from a senior developer job after 3 months.<p>I want to work on passion projects (e.g., indie games, open-source contributions, compilers, or graphics), but I need a stable income in the short term. I also dislike corporate culture—standups, bureaucracy, and endless Jira tickets—but I’m unsure if indie work will pay off.<p>Should I focus on sharpening my skills (React, system design, Golang, etc.) to land a solid developer job and fund my indie ambitions? Or should I take the leap and go all-in on building something solo, even with financial risk?<p>Would love to hear from others who’ve faced a similar situation. How did you balance stability and freedom? What worked for you?<p>PS : This was very long rant about my situation (I was fired yesterday). I have used ChatGPT to make it concise and to the point. I wish to work on things I find interesting, but I am forced to act like a professional developer, because money.