I'm curious about who started on a totally different path and found their passion for software?

I started learning to program when I was a child, first with Z80 assembly, then C, Pascal, C++, Common Lisp, Delphi, whatever. I always enjoyed writing tools and starting projects (most of them never finished). For years I worked as an IT tech guy, then SCCM management. One day I got sick of it and started developing FreelanceStation . And then I published it! Now I have started another project which is going to be announced here on PH in about 6 months if everything goes well. For a long time I envisioned developing software on my own. But it took me a long time to finally be able to do it.

I was on a completely different path 3 years ago - I was a teacher, but all of my friends worked in tech. I visited one of them at the office at the end of a work day, ran around getting excited about all of their projects, was invited in to interview the next day and became a Product Manager. I've moved on to focus more on Client Experience and operations, and haven't looked back since.

I started as a graphic designer doing social media posts and even print work and now I am a UI developer working with React, framer and there js. Now because my familiarity with web GL I think I'm gonna transition into 3d , it feels like "who's coming with me"

Started in strategy consulting, then became a BA in old waterfall world, then decided I wanted to be an Architect (the building variety, not the tech variety) and then fell in love with XD and the tech world!

I graduated from Maritime Academy, and have been working for 5 years at sea as a navigational officer. Made a trip around the world by sea. Now I'm already 5+ years as the product manager in a tech company, starting a new product from scratch. It's all about passion to create and I never regret that pivot point in y life.