Our careers often follow a distinct progression—from building a strong theoretical foundation to navigating strategic leadership.

(Caveat: This is my subjective experience with the handicap of being able to differentiate correlation from causation only 50% of the time. Take it as one practitioner's pattern recognition, not universal law.)

Here's the pattern I see repeat itself across industries, functions, and geographies.

As a student or new graduate, the focus is on acquiring knowledge and developing a robust theoretical understanding.

Resist the urge to equate grades with true mastery. A 4.0 GPA doesn't mean you've learned—it means you've performed well on tests designed to measure a narrow slice of capability.

Instead, embrace the process of learning how to learn. That meta-skill outlasts any specific knowledge you acquire. The frameworks you memorize will become obsolete; the ability to acquire new frameworks won't.

Transitioning into the workforce, the emphasis shifts to applying your skills to practical tasks.

The goal is to showcase your problem-solving abilities, not necessarily to devise the perfect solution. This stage is about bridging the gap between theory and implementation.

You'll discover that textbook problems have clean boundaries and complete information. Real problems have neither. Learning to operate in that messiness—to make progress despite incomplete data—is the core skill of this stage.

As you become an expert in your field, you'll take on expanded responsibilities beyond your core role.

No longer confined to your job description, you'll become the go-to resource for guidance and delivery when your manager is unavailable. People will seek you out not because of your title, but because you've demonstrated you can solve hard problems.

Your work horizon extends to the monthly and quarterly timeframe. You're no longer just executing—you're planning.

Leading a team brings new challenges—managing people who already know their jobs, setting targets, and tackling organizational challenges with limited technical expertise.

This is disorienting. You went from being the expert to being surrounded by experts. Your value no longer comes from having the best answer. It comes from enabling others to find better answers than you could have found alone.

Your work horizon shifts to the 1-3 year range. You're building capability, not just delivering output.

You can read more about this stage here

At the executive level, you must navigate ambiguity, drive strategic planning, and make high-judgment decisions.

Your technical knowledge may be limited compared to your team. That's not a bug—it's a feature. Your ability to add value lies in understanding the meta-mechanics of managing leaders and planning for the 3-5 year horizon.

You're no longer solving problems. You're deciding which problems are worth solving.

You must complete each stage before moving to the next. There are no shortcuts. The skills compound—each stage builds on the foundation of the previous one.

Each stage is increasingly difficult. Either you're adding a new skill or addressing more ambiguity with less knowledge. The challenge always escalates.

These stages are universal. Everyone must cross this path, though they may use different terminology. Different industries, different titles, same progression.

Skipping stages creates debt. In some cases, individuals skip a stage through luck or circumstance. But they will suffer until they bridge the gap. The learning happens eventually—either proactively or painfully.

What stage are you in?

Have you ever come across people who complain that they're doing their manager's job?

Those people are being given a rare gift—the opportunity to practice the next stage while still having a safety net. Most people have to wait years for that chance. Some never get it.

Complaining about it is missing the point entirely.

~Discovering Turiya@work@life