Hey HN,<p>I'm 24 and have been diving into Postgres internals and learning about other database systems since I was 21. I'm deeply fascinated by systems programming and database architecture — especially how things work under the hood.<p>I'm trying to shape a long-term career in this space, and I'd really appreciate hearing from folks with more experience. A few questions I’ve been reflecting on:<p>1)What are some things you wish you had done earlier in your journey?<p>2)What are some things you wish you hadn’t spent time earlier on?<p>3)What keeps you motivated or helps you push through when you’re stuck or feeling low?<p>Any advice, reflections, or stories would mean a lot. Thanks in advance!