That's my attitude as well: I love coding, I don't enjoy doing the business operations aspects (I do like being able to set the direction of a project/product, something typically done by program/project/product managers in big companies but by developers in start-ups). Entrepreneurship to me is a means to an ends, my ends being "working on interesting technology" -- if I can get a job doing that in a place with relatively low amount of bullshit and high amount of autonomy, I'll take it.
The latter requirements (interesting project, high amount of autonomy, non-capricious requirement) does, however, exclude the typical "I'm an alpha-male with an MBA who can't code, I need a beta-male coder to implement my vision"
situations. I have a very strict requirement when joining other companies: I can't absolutely be the smartest or most technical person in the company.
Several times I've worked on side-projects/ideas that could bloom into something and I am not opposed to starting a company to pursue that, along with another technical founder. Being a founder also means the ability to completely set the technical direction, something you can't quite get when joining as an employee (corollary: if you can't set the technical direction of a company, you're not a founder).
Success in a start-up requires drive, solving fascinating technical problems drives me. I've absolute zero interest in being involved in media or enterprise-y start-ups (either as a founder or an employee), no matter how much money is dangled in front of me.
I wouldn't say it's common but it certainly isn't uncommon. I have basically the same view.
I like to code and I'm not big on risk but I hate bureaucracy and bullshit even more. So startups are a great fit. They're generally places where people get things done.
Common? I'd have to say that among the average population it's the most common attitude. Most people just want to work, get paid, and go home. Sure, they may want the glory (but generally it's sufficient recognition they really want), but they definitely don't want the risk.
Common in a group of entrepreneurs? No! Common in the workforce of the average company? Definitely.
