Most Developers Don’t Have a Skill Problem, They Have a Clarity Problem

A surprising number of developers believe they’re stuck because they’re “not good enough.”

Not enough algorithms.
Not enough system design.
Not enough frameworks.

But in most cases, the issue isn’t skill. It’s clarity.

Clarity about what problem you’re solving.
Clarity about what actually matters in your role.
Clarity about what “better” even looks like.

Many engineers jump between technologies hoping the next one will unlock progress. But switching tools doesn’t fix unclear thinking. Senior engineers aren’t defined by knowing more libraries, they’re defined by asking better questions.

They ask:
What are we really trying to optimize?
What are the tradeoffs?
What happens when this fails?
What will this look like in six months?

When you focus on clarity, improvement compounds. When you chase tools, improvement resets.

The biggest unlock in your career isn’t another course. It’s learning to think precisely about problems.