The Fulfillment Formula: Problems, Not Titles

Your next promotion won't make you happier.

Here is what will:

Solving meaningful problems.

The linear career model is failing us.

We built our lives around professional ladders:

→ Education prepared us for predefined roles

→ Success meant climbing predetermined paths

→ Identity became inseparable from job titles

This worked in a stable world with clear boundaries.

The appeal was powerful: clear metrics for success, immediate social validation, and security in a known path.

But we've entered a fundamentally different era:

→ Knowledge availability is increasing faster than ever

→ Industry boundaries dissolve and reform constantly

→ Value creation is being completely rewired

→ The middle ground between exceptional and replaceable is vanishing

Economist Tyler Cowen predicted this in "Average is Over": technology increasingly divides workers into those who can leverage automation (winners) and those replaced by it (falling behind).

We need a new way to define what we work on.

Instead of asking "What career do I want?" the better question is "What problems do I want to solve?"

This shift transforms everything:

→ Problems you care about generates motivation

→ Problem-solving creates unique skill combinations

→ Solve valuable problems and compensation follows

The most successful people aren't defined by their titles, they're defined by the problems they've dedicated themselves to solving.

For me today it is reimagining the professional services model in an age of increasing knowledge and technology abundance.

The challenge is recognizing which problems are truly worth our commitment and time.

Our education system doesn't help, society forces conformity, and those who appear to have figured it out seem too far ahead.

The questions I pose regularly are:

→ What issues consistently capture your attention?

→ Where do your unique experiences give you insight?

→ What inefficiencies frustrate you that others accept?

→ Which problems would you work on even without pay?

The ultimate goal is to:

→ Reframe your current role around problems, not tasks

→ Develop skills specific to your chosen problems

→ Build a portfolio of solutions, not just responsibilities

Stop climbing ladders. Start solving problems that matter to you.

If you've identified a problem you're solving for, please leave a comment below. Let's create a resource for people seeking inspiration!