I fear, therefore I learn
For years, I have spent countless hours in and out of work learning new computer and electronics skills. From embedded control systems and building op-amp PID filters, from signal processing circuits to learning every new JS framework and boutique language like Go, Swift and Rust; frontend, backend, devops, AWS, digital ocean, Azure... to re-reading new versions of books on the Linux kernel and crypto and networking... just... everything.
I do it partially because it is interesting, but in the past few years I've come to realize I do it out of fear. I read articles on online forums like this one and I'm terrified of being turned out to pasture without enough skills, so I focus dedicated effort on learning as much as I can because I'm scared of being destitute in the future. Despite no evidence.
Am I alone? Has anyone overcome this career-related hyper-FOMO? Is this a common anxiety? I am not sure. I am a c++ programmer. We don't have a sexy new framework every week or something like that. I am not really worried. I suspect that if I wanted to I could write c++ until I retire. I changed jobs some time ago to keep writing c++ instead of being forced into c#. I kind of hate microsoft, that is mainly why. Rust sounds kind of interesting but I just skimmed the manual a bit. In my spare time I program coq instead. Just because it is interesting. I don't have much anxiety.