Do people talk openly about personal or professional growth where you live?

I’m from Asia, and I’ve noticed people often don’t talk much about their personal or professional growth. I’m not looking for details, I just enjoy these conversations because they help me learn and stay motivated.

When I ask people like what they did during holidays or free time, they often dodge the question or give vague answers(in case they did something "productive").

For example: I’ve even seen one of them have been watching videos about trading or similar stuff, but when I asked, they say it’s “just random useless YouTube videp.” When I share what I’m working on, I sometimes sense a bit of jealousy, so I’ve stopped sharing too.

Is this a cultural thing, or just a people thing? Help me understand the psychology of this.