What I Learned After 15 Years: Success Isn't About Being Smart
The simple lesson that separates those who thrive from those who just survive career changes
If you could compress 15 years of your experience into one lesson kids could master, what would that lesson be?
This question came up during brunch with one of my oldest friends this weekend.
My answer: Learn to deliver value to others by solving their problems.
No matter what industry you are in - healthcare, education, law, technology, or trades - your success depends on your ability to deliver value to others by solving their problems.
As an employee, you solve problems to make your boss's life easier and help customers get what they really need
As a business owner, You fix problems people are willing to pay money to solve.
As a leader, You help your team tackle bigger challenges together.
When you consistently solve meaningful problems, three things happen:
People choose you over alternatives because you deliver results they need.
Word spreads naturally about the difference you make to managers and customers.
You are more resilient to change because people will always find money for solutions that genuinely solve their problems.
The world is changing fast. By 2030, many tasks we consider "professional work" today - writing reports, analyzing spreadsheets, even giving basic advice - will be performed in part by technology.
But here's what computers still can't do:
They can't read between the lines when someone is frustrated but doesn't know how to explain why.
They can't sense the real problem hiding behind the obvious complaint.
They can't adapt on the fly when circumstances change mid-project.
Everyone around our brunch table agreed: The most successful people we know aren't necessarily the smartest or most experienced. They're simply the ones who pay attention to what people actually struggle with, then figure out how to help.
This is what I'm teaching my kids: Focus on solving real problems for real people, and you'll always find meaningful work.
Because your success—whether as an employee or business owner—comes down to one question: Are you the person others turn to when they need someone who truly understands their problem and cares enough to solve it right?