Going into software dev taught me how to learn new things. It also taught me I CAN learn on my own and much faster than I did in any school. Not just technical things but physical as well as social skills. Learning how to teach yourself new skills is extremely valuable of course.

Networking is super important and I hate that it is

I’m surprised to hear that! Given how you typically type thoughtful long responses here. I would have thought that you enjoy human company haha. Or are you just not a face to face person?

This year, I have been forcing students to sit down beside me and read words/short paragraphs. Being low-progress learners, some of them took forever to read something that I think could be accomplished by their peers in a heartbeat. But it isn’t that they can’t do it; it’s just that they need lots of time. This made me feel sad for them because they didn’t have an adult figure to sit down beside them and coach them in their studies when they were young

The network is extremely valuable but that doesn’t mean that overly focusing on building a network is efficient.

Life is short, yolo.

Don't be too nice. Nice people get the worst cancers.

You made a very real point about the value of networking, especially in the freelance world. The reality is that being excellent at what you do isn’t always enough; the right connections can open doors that would otherwise stay closed. It’s a skill that, even for the most introverted, can be developed strategically—like participating in online communities or keeping in touch with past clients in a more natural way.

As for my own “work wisdom,” one thing that always stands out is that adaptability is just as valuable as technical knowledge. The rules of the game are constantly changing, so those who adjust quickly have the upper hand. Another lesson is that sometimes the way you present something matters as much as what you actually know. Many skilled people miss out on opportunities just because they don’t know how to sell themselves.

But back to your point—have you ever tried a more indirect approach to networking, like creating content or contributing to forums in your field? That can help build connections without requiring that more forced social interaction.