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

Written by:
Cal Newport
Narrated by:
Dave Mallow

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
42
Narrator
7
Release Date
September 2012
Duration
6 hours 30 minutes
Summary
In an unorthodox approach, Georgetown University professor Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that 'follow your passion' is good advice, and sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving their careers.

Not only are pre-existing passions rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work, but a focus on passion over skill can be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers.

Cal reveals that matching your job to a pre-existing passion does not matter. 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.

With a title taken from the comedian Steve Martin, who once said his advice for aspiring entertainers was to 'be so good they can't ignore you,' Cal Newport's clearly written manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation and eager to find a fresh new way to take control of their livelihood. He provides an evidence-based blueprint for creating work you love, and will change the way you think about careers, happiness, and the crafting of a remarkable life.
Reviews
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Zaid Alowayed

A good read if you are finding your life purpose. It will help you question many of the dream job fantasies and get you to focus into developing the right mindset to find that "dream career" or "life purpose".

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Anonymous

The author is full of himself, with a patriarchal, condescending, unoriginal approach. He couldn’t even come up with a title of his own. No wonder he’s no longer at Georgetown.

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Julian R.

This book is quick and punchy. It gets strait to the point which is nice. It is a worthwhile listen for those that have been fed the “follow your dreams” dogma for a lifetime, and like me have questioned its validity.

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