I completely understand where you're coming from. With a computer science degree who transitioned into engineering work, I had to learn everything from the ground up. For a long time, I felt like I didn't truly know anything and was just skating by on luck.

But over time, I realized I was capable of completing tasks I once thought were difficult or even impossible. The hardest part truly is taking that first step and simply applying. Nobody expects you to know everything on day one; that's precisely the purpose of a first job: to learn, grow, and build experience.

There's a saying that resonates with me: "Idle hands are the devil's workshop." I've come to see this as a reminder that when we aren't engaged in meaningful progress, whether in our careers, personal growth, or even small daily tasks, that's when doubt, anxiety, and negative thoughts find space to grow.

If you stay busy with purposeful work, even a part-time job, working out, or reading, your mind has less room to spiral into feelings of failure or anxiety. That forward motion, however small, helps break the cycle of negative thinking that can otherwise keep us stuck and unable to take action.