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> [...] it will be another 5 to 7 years before I am truly proficient. Just in time to be obsolete. How do I combat this? Better networking? Starting my own business? Consulting?

Judging from how you use it, I think that under the word "obsolete" you mean something different than how I understand it. Care to clarify?

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Spend N years getting to be proficient in a technology. N+1 years later most have abandoned that tech. Do you jump techs or go into management?

I assume that's what he/she means.

But own business or consulting is nowhere near a response to that. That's why I think he/she may mean something else.

Learning new technology is part of the job. Though there are still tons of companies stuck with older technologies. Ancient, sometimes.

Sure but every jump is opportunity cost. The older you get the harder it's going to be to pick up yet another language with its own ecosystem, tool chains, frameworks, the works.

Are you always picking up new skills or perspectives by doing that? Sure. Do you still have to be stingy with your resources (time, energy, interest)? Absolutely.

Depends on how much you enjoy learning, I suppose. I love learning new things. I'm not stingy on things I love. I don't doubt it's going to get harder to learn after retirement, but that's still more than 20 years away for me.

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