Growth

Two Paths to Achievement # There’s a profound difference between what I call growth and grind mindsets that shapes how we approach challenges and pursue success. Growth represents an organic process of continuous learning, skill development, and personal evolution that naturally tends toward expansion and improvement. Grind, conversely, focuses on sheer effort expenditure—often pushing beyond sustainable limits into exhaustion or burnout territory. While growth feels expansive and energizing, grind typically feels constrictive and depleting.

I was reading Hacker News comments recently when I encountered someone sharing their challenges finding work in technology, attributing it to ageism in the industry. This sparked an insight about a quality that serves professionals throughout their careers: malleability. The Value Equation: Experience and Adaptability # Ageism in technology is a real phenomenon that creates barriers for experienced professionals seeking new opportunities. In market-driven environments, organizations often optimize for perceived cost-effectiveness—seeking talent who can deliver results at the lowest investment. Unfortunately, this calculation sometimes undervalues the profound benefits that experience brings.