The Hardest Job of Our Lives Is Here
In this article, I'm diving into why we're about to have the hardest job of our lives and what we can do to actually prepare for it.
Of course, I don't have all the answers. But I've been thinking about this deeply, and I'm sure you have too—just like the rest of the world.
My name is Misbah Haque by the way. In 2016, I launched a podcast out of my childhood bedroom that landed me my dream job in the Bay Area coaching Fortune 1000 executives and professional athletes.
I've also produced shows with over a million downloads, and now I write and talk about high-agency thinking and skill acquisition on the Habit Chess Podcast and this newsletter.
AI Is Reshaping the Landscape
AI is touching every industry and job role imaginable. Based on its trajectory, we're seeing a real threat to job security.
Doctors, lawyers, engineers—few industries are untouched by what’s happening now and what’s ahead.
So the question is: What are we supposed to do?
Everyone has an opinion, but I'm going to share mine. Take what you like and leave the rest.
Two Groups: Excitement vs. Fear
There are two groups here.
Those excited about AI and the doors it opens for high-agency thinkers like us. This is the golden era, and we can’t believe we’re living through this time.
Those worried about AI’s impact, especially if they haven’t built anything of their own yet and rely on corporate stability.
Even high-agency thinkers feel some fear—maybe 10%, maybe 20%—because we don’t fully know where this is going.
Let’s break down what we can learn from what’s happening and what we can predict about the future.
The Cost of Building Is Plummeting
Everything is becoming easier to build.
Not long ago, if you wanted to build an app but didn’t know how to code, you were out of luck. You needed tens of thousands of dollars at minimum to hire an engineer. Then you had to prove market fit before it was even worth building.
Now, with platforms like Replit, you can build apps just by talking to an AI agent.
A few months ago, I used Replit to build an app that had been on my mind for six years. It’s called Laplist—a stopwatch where I can rename laps because, for some reason, no other stopwatch app lets you do that.
I built the first version in three to four hours on a Saturday night. The cost? About $45.
A project that once required multiple engineers and thousands of dollars was now possible in a few hours, at a fraction of the cost.
Now imagine applying this same thinking to even bigger problems.
What Do We Actually Care About?
This moment feels similar to when Google first became mainstream. Suddenly, everyone had the history of human knowledge at their fingertips.
The assumption was: Now we can solve so many problems! We’ll be richer, fitter, happier!
But what actually happened?
People used Google to check the weather and look up recipes.
Google is only as good as the questions you ask. If you don’t ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers.
Now, AI is pushing us to ask a different question: What do we care about?
Most of us have never had the space to really ask that. We’ve picked careers based on stability and opportunity, not necessarily on personal mission.
But with AI, the old model is breaking. Companies are demanding more from employees because of the tools at their disposal. The job security that once existed is slipping away.
The Identity Crisis Ahead
For decades, our careers have defined us. CEO, CTO, project manager, designer, doctor—our job titles gave us meaning.
But AI is reshaping those roles, making them more fluid. And that’s creating an identity crisis for many people.
So the real challenge is no longer what job will I have? It’s what do I actually want to work on?
A Simple Exercise That Will Change Everything
Take ten minutes and list all the things you care about. Problems you’d love to solve. Ideas you’d love to build.
Even if you think they’re impossible.
Because when your brain starts looking for solutions, it will notice opportunities.
I never thought I’d build an app. But because I had thought about it for years, the moment I saw Replit, I knew I could finally bring my idea to life.
The Hardest Job of Our Lives
This is the hardest job we’ll ever have: figuring out what we actually care about.
You can’t fake it. You can’t copy someone else’s passion and expect it to fulfill you.
In the past, you could pick a profitable career and pretend to care.
Manufacturing, law, medicine—people did it for the paycheck, and no one questioned it.
But today’s world doesn’t reward that. Consumers, employers, and even algorithms can sniff out authenticity.
If you don’t genuinely care about what you’re doing, someone else who does will outwork you.
I hope this got you thinking.
I hope it helped you see this moment as an opportunity rather than a crisis.
Thanks for reading, talk soon.
In your corner,
Misbah Haque
Founder & Consultant at Pod Mahal
Writer & Host of Habit Chess
P.S. If you want a hand with starting or growing your podcast, book a free strategy call here. This isn't just a quick chat—it’s where we dive into your goals, pinpoint what’s holding you back, and map out a plan.
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