18 Truths I Learned as a Software Engineer in My 30s (That I Wish Someone Told Me Sooner)

• 1. Learning Never Ends—But That’s the Fun Part
• 2. Burnout Doesn’t Look Like Fire—It Looks Like Numbness
• 3. Fancy Job Titles Are Mostly Vanity
• 4. Don’t Build a Career on a Framework
• 5. Your Health is Part of Your Tech Stack
• 6. Don’t Work for a Company That Makes You Feel Small
• 7. Documentation is a Love Letter to Your Future Self
• 8. The Best Engineers Aren’t the Loudest
• 9. Job Hopping is Fine—Running Away Isn’t
• 10. Build Things Outside Work (But Don’t Burn Out)
• 11. You Don’t Need to Know Everything
• 12. Feedback is a Superpower—If You Can Take It
• 13. Technical Skill Gets You In. Soft Skills Move You Up.
• 14. Your Manager Isn’t Always Right
• 15. Money Matters, But It’s Not the Only Metric
• 16. It’s Okay to Be Bored Sometimes
• 17. You Will Outgrow Some Friends and Colleagues

1. Learning Never Ends—But That’s the Fun Part

You won’t “master” everything. And that’s okay. The joy is in the journey, not in arriving.

2. Burnout Doesn’t Look Like Fire—It Looks Like Numbness

You think burnout means working late nights and crying in the shower. Sometimes it just means staring at your screen for hours… and doing nothing.

3. Fancy Job Titles Are Mostly Vanity

“Senior”, “Lead”, “Staff”—they matter less than you think. What matters is: Can you solve problems? Can you communicate? Do people trust you?

4. Don’t Build a Career on a Framework

Frameworks change. Trends fade. Build your career on principles: clean code, architecture, problem-solving, empathy.

5. Your Health is Part of Your Tech Stack

Sleep, posture, food, mental space. Ignore them and your performance will crash harder than any production server.

6. Don’t Work for a Company That Makes You Feel Small

Toxic environments will convince you the problem is you. It’s not. You’re not difficult—you’re in the wrong room.

7. Documentation is a Love Letter to Your Future Self

You may think “I’ll remember how this works.” You won’t. Document it.

8. The Best Engineers Aren’t the Loudest

Sometimes, the best dev in the room is the one quietly fixing everything you broke.

9. Job Hopping is Fine—Running Away Isn’t

Switching jobs to grow is smart. Switching jobs to avoid tough conversations? You’ll keep repeating the pattern.

10. Build Things Outside Work (But Don’t Burn Out)

Side projects are where you learn the most. But don’t let them become second jobs. Play, explore, rest.

11. You Don’t Need to Know Everything

You don’t have to learn Rust, Go, Kubernetes, AI, and Blockchain all at once. Choose your lane and go deep.

12. Feedback is a Superpower—If You Can Take It

Most developers avoid feedback like a merge conflict. But feedback (when healthy) is the shortcut to growth.

13. Technical Skill Gets You In. Soft Skills Move You Up.

Empathy. Listening. Communication. Negotiation. These are the tools that get you promotions and trust.

14. Your Manager Isn’t Always Right

Respect authority, but don’t treat it as absolute truth. Ask questions. Speak up (politely). You’re allowed.

15. Money Matters, But It’s Not the Only Metric

Chasing the highest salary often means sacrificing growth, team quality, or mental health. Find the balance.

16. It’s Okay to Be Bored Sometimes

Not every sprint will be exciting. Some weeks, you just fix bugs. That’s normal. Real craft isn’t always glamorous.

17. You Will Outgrow Some Friends and Colleagues

It’s okay. Growth means change. Stay kind, but don’t hold yourself back for the sake of comfort.