Signs You May Have a Regressive Mindset

About this episode

Keeping up has always been part of the job for software engineers, and with AI it's harder than ever. In this episode, I talk about two signals that you, your coworkers, or the people you manage might have a regressive mindset, which shows up as quietly avoiding the learning you need to stay current. Keeping up has always been part of being a software engineer, and right now it's harder than ever. A lot of us are tired, skeptical, or just overwhelmed by the constant stream of AI news, and it's easy to slide into habits that slowly cut us off from new information. In today's episode, I talk about two signals to watch for in yourself, your coworkers, or your reports that point to a regressive mindset. That's a pattern of avoiding progress and learning, often without realizing you're doing it. • What a Regressive Mindset Actually Is: A progressive mindset doesn't require jumping on every new tool or throwing out your whole toolset. Constant upheaval isn't progress. What matters is that your understanding of the world keeps growing. The regressive mindset shows up as avoiding learning and leaning on defense mechanisms that shield you from more nuanced information. • Signal #1: Avoidi