Gen X and the Identity Crisis No One Saw Coming

I’ve read that New York Times article about Gen Xers and the career meltdown. And no wonder there’s a crisis.

The work environment we walked into in our 20s is gone.

We expected to be in our jobs for a lifetime, much like our parents. And we built our lives—children, homes, retirement—around that stability.

Then, over a few decades, that foundation crumbled. The pace of technology tore industries apart. We went from listening to 8-track tapes to listening to streaming music on our phones.

We Gen Xers are now floating in a sea of uncertainty, looking for any solid piece of flotsam that looks like it will give us a chance of survival.

One takeaway I had from that story is the loss of identity. If I don’t have X job anymore, who am I?

Like our parents, we’ve tied our worth to our jobs. And what happens when you do that and the job disappears? We often disappear with it.

In the middle of this crisis and chaos, there is an opportunity for us all. The chance to write a new chapter for our careers, and our lives.

So how do you protect yourself—your livelihood, your well-being, your sense of worth—while working in a way that truly works for you?

Now, let’s call it what it is: a major disruption. Not only in your job, but in how you see yourself. Because when your role disappears, it can feel like you’ve disappeared, too.

As disorienting as these shifts are, they can also be full of possibility. You’ve been the steady one, the reliable one, for a long time. Maybe now, you get to be something else, too: honest, creative, open, and a little bit brave.

You get to ask:

Who am I, if I’m not that job title anymore?

That question doesn’t mark a crisis. It marks the beginning of a return—to who you are, and who you’re becoming.

Ask: What do I truly want now?

This is the question underneath everything else. Not, “What job should I apply for next?” Or, “What’s realistic?” But: What feels right for me now?

You have built a lot of good things over your career. But you’ve changed. Your values may have shifted. Your capacity may have shifted. What you want from work and what you’re willing to give to work has changed, too.

Think of this like pruning a tree. You’re clambering up that tree, trimming limbs along the way. It looks harsh, possibly even painful. But it clears the way for new growth. Ask yourself this, honestly and bravely: What do I truly want to do with this next chapter?

Then start clearing the right limbs to see the answer.

Build risk into your path—but do it your way

Staying where you are isn’t actually safe. It just feels familiar. Here’s what I want you to know: the ground is shifting whether we move or not. And in times like these, action is how we regain power.

Now, I’m not saying quit your job tomorrow or bet the house on a dream. This is what I mean: give yourself space and time for small experiments. The side project you’ve been thinking about? Start it. That connection you’ve been meaning to reach out to? Email them. The skill you used to love but put it on the shelf? Take it down and brush it off.

These are your reps. You don’t have to take a major leap. But you do have to move.

We often fall into the trap of thinking that courage has to be loud. It doesn’t need to be. Sometimes it looks like carving out a couple of hours on a Saturday morning to figure out what else might be possible for you.

Take back your experience—your skills are still yours

This is one of the hardest parts of a career shake-up: the voice in your head that tells you, “I don’t know how to do anything else.”

That voice is not telling you the truth.

You’ve got a deep well of skills—and not just the ones you’ve listed out on your resume. You’ve managed teams through chaos. You’ve juggled projects without a roadmap. You’ve handled the unexpected with grace and aplomb.

All of those skills are transferable, valuable and most importantly, still yours.

Your work now is to see them clearly. Write them down. Talk about them with people who know your value. And begin asking: Where else can I apply what I’ve already built?

Because you’re not starting over—you’re starting from a place of strength.

As Gen Xers, we’ve weathered enough storms to know that stability isn’t promised. And, we also know how to steady the ship. We’ve led teams, raised families, built careers, adapted to every new technology thrown at us—from 8-tracks to MP3s.

Now, it’s time to apply that same resilience to ourselves.

This is your invitation—not to fix the past, but to shape what’s coming next. To build something better. Something that actually fits who you are now.

I’m Richard Taliaferro. I’m a certified career and health coach specializing in helping mid-stage professionals gain clarity on their career journey. I’ve written a guide on how to escape the work hamster wheel. Click here to download yours.