Three Questions Before You Say Yes (in the AI Era)

I’ve been reading The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg — subtitle, a guide to true greatness and deep satisfaction in a chaotic world. The timing feels right. AI is reshaping jobs, companies, and the skills that matter. Every week I talk to leaders asking some version of the same question: where do I put my time now?

One section in Chapter 2 really resonated with me. Stulberg calls it selecting worthwhile pursuits — and it gave me a diagnostic I am starting to use on every new project, every inbound opportunity, every commitment I’m weighing.

TL;DR:

* Decades of research on motivation point to three core needs: autonomy, competence, and belonging

* Before saying yes to a project, job, or commitment, ask: will this increase or decrease autonomy, competence, or belonging in my life?

* In an AI-disrupted career, this filter matters more — because the wrong yes compounds faster

* For existing commitments, ask what conversations or moves would restore any of the three

* Bonus: turn the filter into a prompt and riff with Claude or ChatGPT on the decisions you’re stuck on

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The Three Needs

Stulberg pulls from decades of self-determination research. We thrive over the long haul when three needs are met:

Autonomy — some control over how we spend our time and energy. Not total freedom. Just a real say in the how.