EP 201 - Purpose Over Ego: The Future of Work Is Human with Florian Kemmerich

🤖 What happens when AI replaces productivity — and your identity?

In one of the most consequential conversations on Finding Better, John sits down with impact investor, entrepreneur, and purpose strategist Florian Kemmerich to explore a question that will define the next decade:

If automation replaces what we do… who are we?

Florian shares his personal turning point — from corporate high-potential executive living in “golden handcuffs” to discovering his inner child and redefining success through vocation. Together, John and Florian unpack the difference between ego-driven success and purpose-driven service — and why AI makes this distinction more urgent than ever.

Inside this conversation, you’ll learn:

1. Why fame and fortune feed the ego — but not fulfillment 2. The powerful “two-chair” inner child breakthrough that changed Florian’s life 3. The difference between helping and serving (and why it matters) 4. Why 500M jobs may disappear — and what that means for identity 5. The concept of “vocating” — building, not searching for, your vocation 6. How to leverage AI without becoming dependent on it 7. Why human agency is the critical skill of the future

💡 Key Takeaways:

1. Purpose comes from inside; ego seeks validation from outside 2. AI should be leveraged with intention — not used as a substitute for direction 3. Success without alignment leads to burnout and emptiness 4. Serving others creates meaning; helping from ego creates hierarchy 5. Education must evolve to include vocation alongside profession

Florian is the author of On Vocation: How to Align Your Purpose with Your Profession and has helped over 150 individuals build structured, purpose-driven pathways toward meaningful impact.

🔗 Connect with Florian:

Linkedin: https://share.google/aDJaGsNOEj6WZnjNK Website: https://www.buildingbridges.org/speaker/florian-kemmerich/

If this episode challenged or inspired you, please share it with someone navigating career uncertainty in the age of AI.

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