So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

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In short, the first rule proposes that believing the perfect job is out there can often lead to confusion and unhappiness when the harsh reality of life hits and we realize that it’s not there. Newport’s solution? Don’t follow your passion. Rule 2) Be so good they can’t ignore you To have a mission is to have a unifying focus for your career. It’s more general than a specific job and can span multiple positions. It provides an answer to the question, ‘What should I do with my life.’” Ryan did not “follow his passion” into farming, he stumbled into his profession and found that his passion for the work increased along with his expertise. However, after reading Newport’s book, I feel content in the idea that I need to find my niche; something I’m good at, and just focus on that. Like everyone else, I need to develop skills and values before I can gain control and mission in my career. This idea aligns well with the passion mindset, but it fails to show people how dedicating themselves to a craft and producing more value in the world is the best way to find meaningful work. Limits to the craftsman mindset

The law of financial viability: you should only pursue a bid for more control if you have evidence that what you do is something that people are willing to pay you for. The conventional wisdom of “follow your passion” is seriously flawed. If this is bad advice, what should I do instead? Cal questions the validity of the Passion Hypothesis which states that the key to vocational happiness is to match your job to your passion. Money serves as a “neutral indicator of value, or a way of determining whether or not you have enough career capital to succeed with a pursuit.” When you work to make money or seek evidence of value, you can navigate control and provide value, whether in an entrepreneurial venture or a corporate role. Rule #4: Think Small, Act Big (Or, The Importance Of Mission) This book has valuable thoughts for anyone in college, just out of college, wanting to quit their job and follow their passion, or just uncertain about their career in general.

Cal became obsessed with this question: Why do some people end up loving what they do, while so many others fail at this goal? Cal Newport discusses an interview done by comedian Steve Martin who was asked how to make it in a difficult industry such as comedy. He answered that you should “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” The relentless focus on constantly improving and producing results is known as the Craftsman Mindset: Look for Open Gates, which are the few “opportunities to build capital that are already open to you,” which get more career capital at a faster rate. However, Newport notes that acquiring control is perhaps a little complicated and notes two key control traps:

If you just show up and work hard, you will soon hit a performance plateau beyond which you get any better. The second control trap warns that once you have enough career capital to acquire more control in your working life, you have become valuable enough to your employer that they will fight your efforts to gain more autonomy.Even if anyone wants to keep you at bay due to any reason, they will be unable to do so because talent always shows. It has a way of showing because it is natural and has been worked upon thereby making one truly excellent at their endeavors. Impact: “From the Apple II to the iPhone, Steve Jobs has changed the way we live our lives in the digital age.” To get people onboard with your mission, you need a compelling frame. A book about helping college students find a meaningful career will sell fewer copies than one that says “follow your passion is bad advice.” They can be the same book, but the second frame is a more compelling way to have people engage with your ideas. Law of remarkability Good career missions are powerful because they focus your energy on a worthwhile goal. Achieving this goal maximizes your positive impact on the world, which is vital for developing a love for what you do. People who feel like their work matters are more satisfied and more resilient in the face of challenging work.