You are not your job

"Your art is what you do when no one can tell you exactly how to do it. Your art is the act of taking personal responsibility, challenging the status quo, and changing people.

I call the process of doing your art 'the work.' It's possible to have a job and do the work, too. In fact, that's how you become a linchpin.

The job is not the work."

– Seth Godin, Linchpin.

These words hit different in 2025. AI handles more of our tasks daily. Remote work shows us we're more than our office presence. Job titles mean less when entire industries transform overnight.

The distinction that matters

Your job is what pays the bills. Your work is what lights you up.

A teacher's job is delivering curriculum. Their work might be inspiring curiosity.

An accountant's job is balancing books. Their work might be helping businesses thrive.

A designer's job is creating layouts. Their work might be making information accessible to everyone.

I lead engineering teams. That's my job. My work is creating environments where people do their best thinking. Sometimes that means writing code. Often it means clearing roadblocks, protecting focus time, or celebrating wins.

Why this matters more than ever

In an AI-accelerated world, the job tasks are increasingly automated. What remains is the work - the human element that no algorithm can replicate.

The magic happens when you stop confusing your job description with your identity. Your value comes from the problems you choose to solve, not the tools you use to solve them. Your meaning comes from the impact you create, not the title on your LinkedIn.

Finding your work within your job

Most of us can't quit our jobs to pursue our "true calling." We have mortgages, families, responsibilities. But we don't need to.

The opportunity is to find your work within your job. To identify what lights you up and lean into it. To recognize that your job is just the vehicle for doing your work.

Ask yourself: → What problems do I solve that energize me? → What impact do I create that matters to me? → What would I do even if the job title changed?

That's your work.

The linchpin mindset

Seth Godin calls people who do their work within their jobs "linchpins" - indispensable not because of their job description, but because of the work they choose to do.

They're the developer who doesn't just write code but builds systems that empower teams. The manager who doesn't just run meetings but creates psychological safety. The designer who doesn't just make things pretty but makes products accessible.

They use their job as a platform for their work.

Making the shift

Start small. Within your current role:

1. Identify one problem that matters to you personally
2. Solve it in a way that reflects your values
3. Notice how different it feels from just doing your job
4. Expand from there

You don't need a new job to do meaningful work. You need clarity about what your work actually is.

Figure out your work. Use your job as the vehicle to do it.

The job may change. The title may evolve. But your work - the impact you choose to create - that's yours to define.

This piece originally appeared in my weekly newsletter. Subscribe for insights on thinking differently about work, technology, and what's actually possible.