Everywhere you look, someone is claiming they made $10K in 30 days or built a six-figure side hustle in 90 days.
On platforms like LinkedIn, X, Medium, and Dev.to, these posts spread like wildfire. They come with glossy headlines, vague success stories, and just enough mystery to make you wonder if you’re missing out.
That’s the trap.
In tech, this FOMO-driven content isn’t new. Whether it’s crypto trading, AI side hustles, Web3 gigs, or the next big DevOps certification, the message is the same: you’re falling behind if you’re not already cashing in.
It taps into the anxiety of working in a fast-moving industry where yesterday’s hot skill is today’s old news.
Why It Works
The psychology is simple. These posts sell hope without detail. They’re written to be aspirational but intentionally light on substance. They hint at a “secret formula,” but never really give you a roadmap.
Instead, they leave you chasing the next post, the next newsletter, the next course.
On LinkedIn, they look like personal success stories. On Medium, they’re rebranded as “case studies.” On Dev, they take the shape of tutorials that promise overnight results. The format changes, but the effect is the same: they stoke your fear of missing out while offering little real value.
The Problem With the 90-Day Fantasy
Tech doesn’t reward shortcuts. You don’t become a senior developer in three months. You don’t master blockchain security in a weekend course. And you certainly don’t build generational wealth just because you bought into the latest AI side hustle playbook.
The truth is that meaningful growth in tech takes time, focus, and persistence. But that’s not a message that goes viral. A post titled “I Spent 2 Years Grinding Before I Landed My First Big Break” doesn’t rack up the same engagement as a shiny “I made $100K in 90 days” headline.
What Readers Should Do Instead
If you want to avoid falling into the FOMO trap, ask yourself three questions every time you see one of these posts:
- Is there actual proof or just a catchy headline?
- Am I learning something actionable, or just getting hyped up?
- Does this align with my own path in tech, or is it just noise?
Platforms thrive on engagement. LinkedIn rewards stories that make you stop scrolling. Medium boosts posts with drama in the title. Dev pushes content that promises easy wins. But your growth doesn’t come from chasing viral posts; it comes from consistent learning, real projects, and steady progress.
The Real Flex
The real flex isn’t making money fast. It’s building a skill set that keeps you relevant in an industry that moves at lightning speed. It’s contributing to open source, shipping meaningful projects, understanding the fundamentals, and creating solutions that last.
So the next time you see a “How I made $$$ in 90 days” post, pause. Don’t fall for the trap. Use it as motivation, sure, but don’t mistake it for a roadmap.
Because in tech, the long game is the only game worth playing.
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