The metaphor of technical debt is useful because it has interest. Every shortcut you take adds a small cost to every future change in the affected area. The trouble is that the interest is invisible until the day someone tries to ship something nearby.
Not All Debt Is Bad
Shipping is always a tradeoff between speed and shape. Some debt is the right call. The problem is unintentional debt, taken without naming it.
Make It Visible
A TODO buried in code is not visible. A debt issue in your tracker with a clear definition of done is.
Pay It Down With New Work
Dedicated cleanup sprints rarely survive contact with quarterly priorities. Pay down debt as part of the features that touch it.
Beware the Big Rewrite
Most rewrites accumulate new debt faster than they retire old. Refactor incrementally; rebuild only when the existing system is structurally beyond saving.
Conclusion
Debt is fine. Hidden debt is not. Make it intentional, make it visible, and pay it down where it bites.