Something Big IS Indeed Happening. Are You Playing the Right Game?

AI might be the headline, but every industry is shifting. Here's how to audit yours.

Yesterday I read an article called “Something Big Is Happening” by Matt Shumer, a software engineer writing about AI.

It has exploded. Over 80 million views in the last week. We can all imagine why that struck a nerve.

In very simple terms, his argument is this: we are in the middle of a structural shift in how value is created. Technology has removed traditional gatekeepers and lowered the cost of distribution to nearly zero. Individuals, not institutions, are increasingly the unit of power. The people who see this early and move will build leverage. The people clinging to old career paths and legacy systems will feel stuck.

The piece spread because it named something many of us already feel. It backed that feeling with data. And it made one thing very clear: this is not theoretical. This affects your job. Right now.

But here is what interested me even more than his take on AI.

He dissected his own career. And that exercise is valuable for all of us.

AI is not the only thing changing work. Jobs have always evolved. Entire industries have risen and fallen. People like us have adapted or not. That part is not new.

So, what would you learn if you took 30 quiet minutes and asked yourself:

What was this job when I started? What is it now?

Think about where you began. Maybe you started straight out of school. Maybe you pivoted mid-career. Maybe your role slowly morphed into something that barely resembles the original job description.

What changed? What forces are driving that change? If someone were entering your field today, what advice would you give them? You would not give them advice from 15 or 20 years ago. You would give them advice based on the role as it exists right now.

That gap is everything.

Here are four questions Matt asked himself that I think are powerful for any purpose-driven professional.

1. What game am I actually playing?
   Are you optimizing for old rules or new ones? Are you operating on assumptions that used to be true but are now outdated?

2. Where is value moving?
   In his world, value is shifting from institutions to individuals. In yours, is it moving toward automation? Specialists? Creators? Relationship builders? Who is gaining leverage and why?

3. What unfair advantage do I have in this environment?
   Instead of focusing on what you lack, look at what positions you well right now. Your network. Your lived experience. Your reputation. Your ability to see patterns. What is newly valuable about you?

4. If I were starting from scratch today, would I build this same path?
   This one is uncomfortable. But it is clarifying. If you entered your field today knowing what you now know, would you make the same choices?

When I think about my own path, it is fascinating (to me. fascinating to me only surely not to anyone else!)

• Lifeguard. Server. Fitness instructor. Those jobs have not changed much. We still want to keep people safe, fed, and fit. Humans will continue to pay for those services.

• Project management has changed dramatically. So much of what used to be manual is now automated. But the core need remains. Someone must spot obstacles and remove them.

• Writing and strategy? Completely transformed. Simply getting words onto a page is no longer the valuable skill. Critical thinking, creativity, discernment, and judgment are.

• And coaching. I find myself almost back where I started. High human touch. Human to human conversation. Helping people think. That feels durable.

The practical value in doing this exercise is simple. You might adjust how you show up tomorrow. You might double down on a skill that is becoming more valuable.

And many of you mentor others. Reflecting on how your role has evolved will make you a far better guide to the next generation.

Something big is certainly happening in your industry too.

And not only because of AI. It might be demographic shifts. Funding changes. Cultural expectations. New business models. Regulation. Burnout. Talent shortages.

But something is always shifting. The question is not whether change is happening.

The question is whether you are playing the game as it is today or as it used to be.

So, here is your challenge. Take 30 minutes this week.

Write down:

1. What was my job when I started?

2. What is it now?

3. Where is value moving?

4. What game am I actually playing?

And if you are feeling brave, publish your reflections over on Linkedin or in an email to friends. Share what is happening in your corner of the world!

Something big IS happening. Something big is ALWAYS happening.

Are you moving with it?

If this resonated, hit reply and tell me what has changed most in your field. Or share this with someone who needs a nudge to stop playing by outdated rules.

Instead of being surprised, annoyed, disappointed, angered, etc. by the future.

Let’s shape it.