The Best Tool Is The One You Use

Build proficiency to destroy FOMO

We software engineers are blessed with a wealth of incredible tools. They smooth rough corners, improve efficiency, and supercharge workflows! But they can also drive us into tribes, force us into FOMO (and Fear Of Better Options), and distract us from what we’re here to do: meet people’s needs and build useful things. The latest era of AI tools is a great example: how often do you feel drawn away from your current workflow to Cursor, Claude Code, Amp, Github Copilot, Windsurf, etc, only to find that your momentum slows as you try to adjust to the foreign experience? There is some value in trying new things (how else can you find the tool that’s right for you?), but diminishing returns hit quickly as your focus is diverted every time you sit down to complete a task.

The real value of your tools is shown in your workflow itself and in its output. Merely by developing proficiency in a tool, you’ve proven it has utility and is the best one for you. Imagine walking into the workshop of a master maker. Are the tools spotless? Or are they worn and loved? I suspect you’ll find both - the master cares for his tools, keeping them sharp and shined through years and years of consistent use and care. Care is an Asset, so carefully develop your workflows and tools into a library of favorites that you know inside and out so that you can build exactly what you need without worrying about what to use.

To make this more concrete: pick a tool, commit long enough to develop muscle memory, and focus on your output rather than the sophistication of your setup. The best tool is the one you use, not the one trending on Twitter.