So Good They Can't Ignore You ★★★★☆

Read in 2022: So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport 📚

The title sounds a little pompous, but I was pleasantly surprised by the book. For one, it busts the myth of the passion hypothesis ("Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life"). I have always been skeptical of that hypothesis, so I was glad to see it disproven using research and even anecdotes of people who are held up as examples of passion-driven careers.

The emphasis on patiently and often painstakingly developing your craftsman (craftsperson?) skills and then cashing in your career capital seems to be how most successful people land on their feet. It takes Gladwell's 10,000 hours to the next level and emphasizes deliberate practice as critical in honing your craft. This applies to artists, musicians, athletes, programmers, managers, social scientists, etc. This fits right in the growth mindset world, as even the person with seemingly the most latent talent has to still practice his craft to stay relevant.

Add social capital to the mix, and you'll realize quickly how a particular segment of the population is more likely to "drop everything and travel the world" only to come back to their parents' basement. At the same time, they recover to look for something that pays the bills. Newport succinctly puts his 5 rules to the test and weaves a coherent path between them toward career success. The advice may not be the easiest to follow, but it warns you where you may be going wrong.

It's a quick and short read and stays on the point. I recommend it just for the first couple of chapters.