I’m a big fan of the “just take a day or two to do nothing but think” part. We should cherish the fact that we are alive, and being without distractions just experiencing life is very valuable.

But I don’t get the second part. Do we really need to be so goal oriented in tech specifically? I mean maybe if you wanted to go from being a programmer to a professional wrestler, I could see it. But if you’re just trying to keep your career going, just do what’s useful at work / school right now, and explore what interests you.

Different strokes and all that. Some people are really goal driven and NEED that north star to aim for.

I'm not in that group. I just go with the feels and flow and if something interests me, I go there and investigate if it's fun.

If I had followed my "plan" from a decade+ ago, I'd be a middle manager / scrum master in a small/medium company with an ulcer and SSRIs. Maybe next in line for regional manager.

Had an opportunity to do something different and more varied, took it. Haven't regretted for a second.