Michael, a friend of ours, is a brew master, and within the last year he opened his own brewery. He already is enjoying the fruits of his labor. Michael’s brewery is a success; he sells his products to other establishments, and he has a bright future. It hasn’t been easy and still isn’t. Michael works seven days a week, but it’s his passion and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

By most definitions Michael is living the American dream. He’s following his passion and doing what he loves. There will be bumps in the road, but he’s well on his way to a lifelong commitment to building a business that will sustain him until he retires. I have this feeling Michael may never retire and he’ll ride off into the sunset as a successful master brewer with his business as his legacy.

But wait, there’s more to this story. I recently spoke with Michael’s parents and they told me that he didn’t have a long-term plan to retire as a brew master. Really? I was confused. He’s following his passion and doing what he loves. Why else would he take the risk of starting his own brewery and work extremely long hours to build a successful business?

Michael’s response was something of a surprise. He told us that being a brew master is his passion right now, but he expects to have other passions throughout his lifetime. He said this experience proved that he has the fortitude, discipline and skills to launch and operate a successful business. Michael admitted that 10 or 15 years down the road he may sell his business and follow a new path as his interests change. He’s not intimidated by the unknown and in fact, embraces the idea that there will be new challenges ahead. He welcomes the opportunity to it all again.

This was an “Aha” moment for me. I wish I could clone Michael’s attitude because I believe his confidence in his own abilities is exactly what is needed to survive the unpredictable job market of the future. I often tell people that when it comes to managing a career you need to look at yourself as a market of one. I hope you’re lucky enough to work for an enlightened employer, but at the end of the day you need to believe in your ability to adapt and have marketable skills.

I’m a fan of “Shark Tank,” and on many occasions the experts have said that successful products and successful people know how to solve problems. They identify a need that is not being met or a problem that is difficult to solve and they arrive at solutions. The people who rise to the top are those who have a record of solving problems and making things better. Just doing your job is no longer good enough.

The job market of the future will look for people who are committed to making things better. Arrive at your next job interview with examples of problems you have solved for your current employer. They don’t want to hear about glass ceilings or lack of opportunities to grow. They need to believe you are ready to help them improve and be better than their competition. Get beyond telling people what you are capable of doing and arrive with examples of your achievements.

My friend Michael has a contagious attitude. He is proud of his brewery, but he is more proud of the fact that he has the character traits and discipline to succeed in whatever he decides to pursue. His attitude is exactly what is needed to be successful in dealing with tomorrow’s uncharted waters. We can’t control or predict the future. What we can control is our ability to solve problems and acquire marketable skills. It’s the long-term formula for success.