If folks like Charlie Munger and Warren Buffet were growing up today, would they still be prolific readers? Or would they prefer other mediums like YouTube or ChatGPT?
What is a book's "Job To Be Done" in 2026?
Jobs To Be Done is a product framework developed by Clayton Christenson. The premise is that people don’t buy products; they buy Jobs to Be Done.
People don’t buy drills. They buy holes to hang a bookshelf.
People don’t buy milkshakes. They buy a simple way to keep their kids happy and quiet for a long car ride.
People don’t buy books. They buy a Job To Be Done. And that Job has changed.
In the pre-Internet era, a non-fiction book's Jobs To Be Done were pretty clear:
- If you wanted to learn something new -- either a new skill or history or philosophy -- a book was the best tool for the job.
- If you wanted to improve in personal or professional ways, you either took a class, found a mentor, or read a book.
The Internet quickly devoured a once massive book category: Reference.
Everything from encyclopedias to dictionaries to the "For Dummies" series are basically obsolete. If you want to learn a rote skill, you can do it faster and cheaper online. "Rote knowledge" is no longer a book's JTBD.
But what about personal development? I think many would argue books lost this Job To Be Done as well. YouTube is full of brilliant and inspiring knowledge on how to get better in literally any field. People now use Claude or ChatGPT for personal training and coaching.
So... what is a book's Job To Be Done in 2026?
I think there are at least 3 major JTBDs for non-fiction books:
1. "When I want to deeply understand a subject, like history or technology or philosophy."
^ For DEEP learning, there's still no better tool than a book.
2. "When I want to change the way I think about the world."
^ Hearing a contrarian idea on TikTok might resonate with you for a minute, but then it's gone. When you're trying to understand how the world really works a book is probably the best tool.
3. "When I want to DISCONNECT from the online world and think for myself again."
^ This third JTBD is brand new in the online and now AI world. Books are the intellectual equivalent of going to the spa or the gym. It's like eating clean for a week and feeling amazing afterward.
Books are the antidote to the brainrot and doomscrolling that has consumed much of our lives. It's a health food item.
Authors need to think about what Job their book is being asked to perform. My advice:
1. Go DEEP. Reach back in time and contextualize your work in history. Root your ideas in research that can't be summarized in an AI answer. Do the work.
2. Go EXISTENTIAL. If your book doesn't have a big WTF of AHA idea, it will be impossible to stand out.
3. Be ENTERTAINING. Why don't more people eat health food? Because junk food tastes better.
So yes, writing quality still matters. And I'm not talking about grammar and punctuation. I mean WRITING THAT'S ENJOYABLE TO READ.
If your book can satisfy all three modern JTBDs, you might have a bestseller on your hands.
What job do books do in your life? Why did you pick up the last title you did? What purpose did it serve?
What is a book's Job To Be Done in 2026?