Stuck in the Support Cycle: A Tech Worker’s Struggle

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.

In the dim glow of his laptop, Alex, 38, slumps after another grueling day in technical support. For over a decade, he’s tackled endless tickets and irate customers, a job that once felt secure but now suffocates him. He yearns to upskill—maybe dive into coding or cybersecurity—to lift his family’s future and fund his child’s education. But exhaustion weighs him down, his current skills a rusted anchor in a fast-moving tech sea.

Each morning, dread creeps in. The same repetitive tasks await, draining his energy until he’s too burned out to study after work. He’s tried—enrolled in courses, bought books—but they gather dust, monuments to his failures. As an introvert, Alex shrinks from the spotlight. He watches bolder colleagues snag promotions while his quiet diligence goes unnoticed. “I’m invisible,” he thinks, his confidence crumbling. Self-doubt whispers he’s not cut out for more, breaking his spirit to push for a raise or a new job.

Nights are the worst. He lies awake, guilt gnawing at him—his child deserves better, but he’s stuck. He’s applied elsewhere, only to falter at rejection, or worse, never hit “submit,” convinced he’s unqualified. The gap between where he is and where he wants to be feels unbridgeable.

Yet, a spark persists. Could small steps—like a single tutorial a week—reignite his drive? How can he cope with this burnout, stand firm against despair, and find positivity in a rut so deep? Perhaps his introverted focus could be his strength, if only he’d start.