For years, we’ve been told that work should be our purpose. The right job, the right title, the perfect hustle—these were supposed to make us whole. We’ve been told that the right job will complete us, that climbing the corporate ladder is the surest path to fulfillment, and that if we just hustle hard enough, we’ll find a purpose that makes life meaningful. But this narrative is unraveling. Like building a house on sand, anchoring our identity solely in work leaves us vulnerable to collapse when the ground shifts. More and more professionals—especially Millennials and Gen Z—are waking up to the fact that work alone can’t shoulder the weight of our purpose or well-being.
So, what’s next? How do we reimagine purpose in a world where careers are no longer stable anchors but shifting currents? The answer lies in embracing complexity: balancing authenticity with belonging, blending roles instead of chasing a single path, and redefining success beyond job titles. Here’s how.
The Pitfalls of “I Work Therefore I Am”
- Emotional Exhaustion from Value Clashes: A 2024 study in the Netherlands found that 44% of professionals feel emotionally drained because their personal values don’t align with workplace expectations. This goes beyond the cliché of “long hours” or “work stress.” It’s about the deeper dissonance when your soul’s compass points one way, but your job demands another. Imagine wearing a suit that doesn’t fit—you can stretch and adjust, but eventually, it chafes and wears you down.
- When Job Titles Become Identity: When our entire sense of self is wrapped up in a job title or company brand, any disruption—be it a layoff, leadership shakeup, or industry upheaval—feels like an existential crisis. Losing a job isn’t just losing income; it’s losing a piece of yourself. This phenomenon is akin to building your identity on a house of cards—unstable and vulnerable to collapse.
- The Fragility of External Validation: Careers built on external validation are like castles built on quicksand. The applause of colleagues, the prestige of a role, or the security of a paycheck can’t replace the steady foundation of internal fulfillment. As Brené Brown reminds us, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” Without that, burnout and disillusionment are inevitable.
The Price of Authenticity vs. Attachment
- “Bring Your Whole Self to Work”: Corporate slogans urge us to “bring our whole selves,” but the reality is messier. Sharing your full emotional range or quirks can still get you subtle “leave that at the door” signals. Authenticity matters—it’s tied to our well-being—but full transparency isn’t always safe or strategic. The key? Treat it like tuning a radio: adjust how much you share based on the environment, set boundaries that protect your energy, and build trust over time. Authenticity isn’t all or nothing—it’s about finding the right frequency for each situation
- The Tension Between Authenticity and Attachment: Gabor Maté, a physician specializing in trauma and human development, frames this as a lifelong tension. From childhood, we juggle two primal needs: attachment (belonging, acceptance) and authenticity (being true to ourselves). In the workplace, this tension plays out as a balancing act—many mute their true selves to fit rigid corporate molds, prioritizing attachment for survival.
- The Cost of Suppressing Authenticity: A 2024 Utrecht University study found that professionals who feel free to express their authentic selves at work report significantly higher job satisfaction and lower stress levels. When we don’t have to wear masks or perform, we conserve energy, build genuine connections, and find alignment. Authenticity isn’t about freezing yourself in one version; it’s about honoring your evolving self. Workplaces that allow this freedom become fertile ground for growth, not burnout.
The Rise of Multidisciplinary and Portfolio Careers
- The Numbers Behind the Shift: While portfolio careers are difficult to track, the trend is clear. A 2024 European survey shows multiple job-holding rates are highest in Nordic countries (6–12%), and the European average is about 4%. Among young professionals (ages 18–34), 54% aspire to have a portfolio career at some point, reflecting a growing appetite for new ways of working.
- What’s Driving Portfolio Work:
- Financial Security in Uncertain Times: Relying on a single employer feels riskier than ever, so spreading income across different projects or roles makes professionals more resilient when the economy shifts.
- Creative and Intellectual Freedom: More people are pushing back against being boxed into a single role. Instead, they’re exploring different industries, working across disciplines, and constantly developing new skills.
- Greater Autonomy and Control: Instead of shaping life around work, professionals are designing careers that fit their lifestyles, values, and goals, giving themselves permission to pivot as they grow.
- Portfolio Careers as a Strategic Response: For professionals from the global majority, the shift to portfolio work can be even more significant. Facing hiring bias, limited leadership opportunities, or feeling like corporate spaces don’t embrace their identities, many are building businesses, freelancing, and working across industries. It’s not just about flexibility—it’s about reclaiming agency and creating professional identities as diverse as their lived experiences.
A New Model of Belonging
Belonging Beyond One Employer or Industry: In the past, professional identity was anchored to a single employer, industry, or city. Today, belonging is more like a mosaic—assembled from multiple professional and cultural communities. 62% of professionals report feeling a stronger sense of belonging when engaged with diverse networks spanning freelance projects, startups, and community groups.
Empowering Bicultural and Multicultural Professionals: For bicultural professionals navigating multiple identities, belonging no longer means squeezing into a predefined mold. It means creating a space that honors all parts of who they are—professionally and personally. This fluid sense of belonging is a radical act of self-definition.
Redefining Success in the New Corporate Age: Success is no longer just about climbing a ladder or hitting salary benchmarks. It’s about how fully we can live our truths across every space we inhabit—work, culture, community. As Priya Parker, facilitator and strategic advisor, notes, “True belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, and still feel accepted.”
Building a Purpose That Sustains
The old story—that work alone defines us and fulfills us—is breaking down. Like a tree with roots too shallow, careers that lack deeper grounding leave us vulnerable to storms. To thrive in today’s shifting landscape, we must cultivate a richer, more flexible sense of purpose. That means aligning work with our values, embracing authenticity even when it’s risky, weaving together multiple roles and identities, and redefining belonging beyond traditional boundaries.
Purpose isn’t a destination reached by a perfect job title; it’s a living ecosystem nourished by connection, creativity, and courage. As we step into this new era, the challenge—and opportunity—is to build lives where work is part of the story, not the whole story. Only then can we find the fulfillment that lasts.
Photography by Webster Mugavazi
