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The Infinite Loop of Want How Tech’s Obsession With ‘Better’ Broke My Brain

The Upgrade Addiction

I've rewritten my resume 14 times in 7 years.

Not because I needed jobs — I've stayed at the same company — but because the tech industry conditioned me to treat my career like a video game.

New JavaScript framework? +5 points Cloud certification? +10 AI prompt engineering? Max level unlocked

"We're not chasing mastery. We're chasing the appearance of mastery."

The Mirror of AI Hype

Everyone is in a hurry to be first, always chasing what we create and fighting over it.

But in this rush, are we really moving forward, or just making more noise?

This pattern repeats everywhere:

  • Developers chasing GPT certifications like they're Pokémon cards
  • Companies racing to launch half-baked AI features
  • Governments measuring progress by GPU counts, not societal impact

We've confused progress with posturing.

The Bitter Truth

We're not built for infinite growth — there's always a limit. Pushing beyond it comes at a cost: burnout, anxiety, physical strain.

I feel this firsthand—spending over 10 hours a day in front of a screen, watching it slowly take a toll on my body and mind.

Modern tech culture hijacks these instincts:

  • "Learn Go in 5 days!" → False urgency
  • "Become a 10x developer!" → Tribal status games

This focus on quick solutions isn't helping us grow.

We follow fast-track learning methods, thinking speed means progress. But without a strong understanding of the basics, we struggle with core concepts, relying too much on tools or AI instead of building real problem-solving skills.

We may move quickly, but we're not necessarily moving in the right direction.

Breaking the Cycle

I've started experimenting with:

1. The "Why" Filter

Before learning anything new, I ask:

  • Will this actually help me build better things?
  • Or am I just scared of falling behind?

2. Anti-Goals

I now track:

  • Hours not spent chasing trends
  • Problems solved without new tools

3. Collaborative Benchmarks

Instead of "Be better than Person X," I ask:

  • How can I help Person X succeed?
  • What can we learn from each other's failures?

A New Definition of Progress

The AI hype will continue. New frameworks will keep launching.

But after 7 years, I've realized:

True mastery isn't about knowing everything — it's about knowing what to ignore.

The next time you feel pressured to "up-skill," ask yourself:

Are you growing? Or just running?