Overview
Dr. J talks about what it actually means to become “giga-cracked,” a term used by engineers to describe someone who is exceptionally good at their craft. He explains how the label came to him from Bay Area friends and why it represents more than raw coding skill. The session builds on his Substack post about lessons he wishes he could tell his younger self and turns them into a direct guide for engineers who want to level up fast.
Key Ideas
1. Be Restless
Don’t stay in one place too long early in your career. When you stop learning, move on. Your growth rate should be steep in the first few years, and each new job should teach you something new about systems, languages, and teams. Optimize for learning, not money, until you’re established. Be open to switching languages and stacks; getting paid to learn is the fastest way to mastery. Stress is part of the process, just as it is in any high-earning, high-pressure field.
2. Find the Right Environment
There’s a huge difference between working at a company that is a tech company and one that merely has a tech department. True engineering environments treat software as creative work. You want to be around people who build things for the love of it, not in rooms dominated by bean-counters obsessed with budgets. Seek companies that give engineers freedom, room for experimentation, and time for unstructured thought. Creativity, not bureaucracy, produces breakthroughs.
3. Don’t Be Insecure
You’ll often feel out of your depth, especially early on or when switching jobs. That’s normal. The key is to admit what you don’t know. Saying “I don’t know” is the shortest path to learning. It removes ego, speeds up your growth, and earns respect from real engineers who love to teach. Curiosity and honesty compound faster than false confidence.
Other Takeaways
The software industry has room for everyone. You can coast comfortably or chase mastery; both are valid choices.
Being “cracked” takes trade-offs in time, mental energy, and comfort. It’s the same deal as any elite profession.
Grind hard early. Those years buy freedom later.
Stay around people who genuinely love the craft. Their passion will keep you sharp.
The principles remain true even in the AI era. Tools change, fundamentals don’t.
Closing
Three rules to internalize:
Be restless.
Choose the right rooms.
Drop the insecurity.
Follow Dr. J on Substack for the written version and future livestreams with Q&A sessions.
Get full access to Dr. Josh C. Simmons at blog.drjoshcsimmons.com/subscribe
