Technical Book Review “So Good They Can’t Ignore You” by Cal Newport

Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

“Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it.”

“If you want to love what you do, abandon the passion mindset (“what can the world offer me?”) and instead adopt the craftsman mindset (“what can I offer the world?”).”

“the happiest, most passionate employees are not those who followed their passion into a position, but instead those who have been around long enough to become good at what they do.”

“No one owes you a great career, it argues; you need to earn it — and the process won’t be easy.”

“If you’re not uncomfortable, then you’re probably stuck at an “acceptable level.”

“Doing things we know how to do well is enjoyable, and that’s exactly the opposite of what deliberate practice demands….”

“Craftsman mindset focuses on what you can offer the world, the passion mindset focuses instead on what the world can offer you. This mindset is how most people approach their working lives.”