I don't think this true at all. Your intermediate SWE job will be adding functionality to a React page or writing REST endpoints in Python. You will reach this

I don't think this true at all. Your intermediate SWE job will be adding functionality to a React page or writing REST endpoints in Python. You will reach this level with around 2 years of experience. I don't see this nearly as demanding as the 10+ year preparation to be a neurosurgeon, or to be a teacher. I think being an 'average' dev is pretty easy after all in the grand scheme of things.