So Good They Can't Ignore You Book Summary - So Good They Can't Ignore You Book explained in key points
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So Good They Can't Ignore You summary

Cal Newport

Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

4.5 (480 ratings)
19 mins
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    So Good They Can't Ignore You
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    What's in it for me?

    Probably, at one point or another, someone, somewhere has told you that the secret to success and happiness is to “follow your passion.” This is the slogan of countless self-help gurus sporting fake tans around the world. But is the advice good? If so, why did Steve Jobs build one of the most successful companies in the world when his passion was to become a Zen master?

    So Good They Can’t Ignore You (2012) does away with the “passion trap” and instead looks at more realistic and practical ways to succeed in and be satisfied with your career. You will learn how to develop the rare and valuable skills that great jobs require. You will also learn how to parlay those skills into control and autonomy in your work – a "must" for job satisfaction. You will also discover how you can find your own mission: an inspiring goal to strive for professionally.

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    What is So Good They Can't Ignore You about?

    How can you find a job that you are good at and enjoy? This book advocates the "craftsman mind-set" of patiently developing skills instead of the typical "follow-your-passion" advice, and offers practical solutions to acquiring and maintaining job satisfaction.

    Who should read So Good They Can't Ignore You?

    • Anyone who wants to know why “follow your passion” is bad advice
    • Anyone interested in alternative routes to job satisfaction and success

    About the Author

    Cal Newport earned a PhD in computer science in 2009. He was a post-doctoral associate at MIT and was en route to becoming a professor when he learned how frustrating looking for an academic job could be. He wanted to stay in the United States for family reasons, but learned that it might mean starting over from scratch. This book is about the answers he found to the question, how do you end up loving what you do?

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