Software engineering and releases are turned into social events to improve the odds of staying employed. Everyone plays their part in the status quo. Those individuals that do not play along are encouraged to go elsewhere.

Not knowing how things relate to one another can be frustrating. I suggest learning Category Theory to gain a sense of balance. Ingesting knowledge without an outlet is not a healthy practice. Use what you learn. To know and not to do - is not to know.

Having a very strong desire to get the work done is often all that I need to block distractions and focus for long periods of time. When I am less motivated, I accept it and decide on a time when I will start again. I reckon that owning the outcome helps with desire.

What I find challenging is to ascertain the outcomes of seemingly unexpected events, such as:

(1) a swift global economic crash and slow recovery (2) the intermittent breakdown or stoppage of global supply chains (3) the sending of non-vaccinated persons to quarantine work camps (4) unprecedented global mass migrations of peoples due to famines, pestilences, and war (5) The global economic impact of nuclear war across East Asia and South Asia. For example, EMP damage to infrastructure across the People's Republic of China, Republic of China, Japan, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, the Republic of India would gravely affect global markets.

Zig on Plan 9 would be a lot of fun.

Keep your day job and start a side-hustle. Whenever you feel undervalued by others, do not get angry or frustrated. Instead, use that energy to build your business during evenings and weekends.

Evening-and-weekends time isn't for more work. Either the current position works for you, or you start interviewing elsewhere.

This. If you’re getting less than inflation as an annual raise it’s time to move unless you’re an owner.

Keep moving until you land somewhere that doesn’t just say they know your value, but will actually pay for it.

Here's what my mentor taught me when starting: (1) Learn about the product you are selling. (2) Use the product you are selling. (3) Don't sell, but rather expose others to the product.

If you do not know or use the product, then it is difficult for a new salesperson to help the customer.

When you expose someone to a product, be sure to give them a way out by letting them know it is okay if they want to pass up the opportunity. There doesn't need to be any pressure when presenting opportunities.

Plan 9 codebase has been the best that I have encountered.

http://9p.io/sources/plan9/sys/src/