Stop Asking “What’s Next?” Start Asking “Who Am I Becoming?”

Most professionals measure careers like a ladder: step by step, role by role, paycheck by paycheck. "What’s next?" becomes the default question.

But in the AI era, ladders are collapsing. Roles are morphing faster than org charts can keep up. That shiny “next” title could be automated, restructured, or irrelevant before you’ve even printed new business cards.

The better question isn’t “What’s next?” It’s “Who am I becoming?”

The Limits of “What’s Next?”

• Job-hopping for a 10% raise often adds shallow notches, not depth.

• Titles inflate but rarely future-proof your career.

• Focusing only on incremental gains risks locking you into skills that don’t scale as AI reshapes work.

Chasing “next” is about collecting. But collecting doesn’t always compound.

The Power of “Who Am I Becoming?”

When you shift the question, your entire career lens changes.

• Identity over title: Are you becoming a strategist? A builder? A closer? These carry across industries and roles.

• Skill-stacking: Layering skills (data + communication + leadership) multiplies your value in ways no title ever will.

• Proof over proxies: Careers are moving from proxies (years worked, job titles) to proof (outcomes, impact, adaptability).

“Becoming” is about compounding. And compounding is what survives disruption.

White-Collar Examples: How to Think About It

Here’s how different professionals can shift from getting to becoming with the help of LLMs:

Salesperson

• Getting mindset: “I want to be a VP of Sales.”

• Becoming mindset: “I’m becoming someone who can use AI to analyze call transcripts, identify objections faster, and build repeatable playbooks that scale across a team.”

• How to use LLMs: Upload call notes into an LLM to extract patterns, train yourself to overcome objections, and refine messaging skills that outlast quotas.

Marketer

• Getting mindset: “I want a promotion to Marketing Director.”

• Becoming mindset: “I’m becoming someone who blends creative instincts with AI-driven analytics to run campaigns that are both innovative and measurable.”

• How to use LLMs: Use AI to test ad copy variations, generate audience insights, or summarize campaign data into executive-ready briefs.

Finance Professional 

• Getting mindset: “I want to become a CFO.”

• Becoming mindset: “I’m becoming someone who translates financial models into clear, AI-supported strategic insights for the business.”

• How to use LLMs: Automate variance analysis explanations or scenario planning writeups so you can focus on storytelling and influencing decisions.

Product Manager

• Getting mindset: “I want to move up to Senior PM.”

• Becoming mindset: “I’m becoming someone who can use AI to gather user feedback at scale, synthesize insights, and ship faster with smarter prioritization.”

• How to use LLMs: Feed in user interviews or support tickets and use AI to cluster themes, accelerating your ability to act on customer needs.

HR/Recruiter

• Getting mindset: “I want to lead Talent Acquisition.”

• Becoming mindset: “I’m becoming someone who uses AI to identify patterns in hiring success, and create skills-first job frameworks.”

• How to use LLMs: Build skills-based job descriptions, analyze resume pools for transferable skills, or automate interview prep.

How to Reframe Career Growth

Instead of chasing “Senior Manager,” ask: 

➡️ Am I becoming someone who can solve bigger problems?

Instead of negotiating just salary, ask: 

➡️ Am I becoming someone whose unique skills command higher value?

Instead of seeking comfort, ask: 

➡️ Am I becoming someone adaptable enough to thrive when AI changes my role?

This shift moves you from transactional growth to transformational growth.

The Career Dividend

Raises fade. Titles expire. Companies pivot.

But who you become compounds.

• Skills stay.

• Adaptability travels.

• Reputation and networks carry forward.

In the AI era, what you get will matter less. What you become will matter most.