So Good They Can't Ignore You Book Summary - So Good They Can't Ignore You Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

So Good They Can't Ignore You summary

Cal Newport

Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

4.4 (580 ratings)
19 mins

Brief summary

So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport challenges the conventional career advice of following your passion. Instead, it advocates developing rare and valuable skills, building career capital, and creating work you love through deliberate practice.

Table of Contents

    So Good They Can't Ignore You
    Summary of 8 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 8

    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.

    Want to see all full key ideas from So Good They Can't Ignore You?

    Key ideas in So Good They Can't Ignore You

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    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.

    So Good They Can't Ignore You Review

    So Good They Can't Ignore You (2012) by Cal Newport is a thought-provoking book that challenges conventional wisdom about finding one's passion. Here's why this book is worth reading:

    • Offers a refreshing take on career advice, emphasizing the importance of building rare and valuable skills rather than following one's passion.
    • Backed by extensive research and interviews, it exposes the flaws in the "follow your passion" mantra and provides a practical roadmap for career success.
    • Through compelling anecdotes and case studies, Newport's insights make this book an engaging and insightful exploration of how to create a fulfilling career.

    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?

    Categories with So Good They Can't Ignore You

    Book summaries like So Good They Can't Ignore You

    People ❤️ Blinkist 
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked these summaries

    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    31 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    10+ years
    Experience igniting personal growth
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial

    So Good They Can't Ignore You FAQs 

    What is the main message of So Good They Can't Ignore You?

    The main message of So Good They Can't Ignore You is that passion is not enough for a fulfilling career.

    How long does it take to read So Good They Can't Ignore You?

    The reading time for So Good They Can't Ignore You varies depending on the reader's pace. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in a few minutes.

    Is So Good They Can't Ignore You a good book? Is it worth reading?

    So Good They Can't Ignore You is a worthwhile read that challenges conventional wisdom about pursuing your passion.

    Who is the author of So Good They Can't Ignore You?

    The author of So Good They Can't Ignore You is Cal Newport.

    What to read after So Good They Can't Ignore You?

    If you're wondering what to read next after So Good They Can't Ignore You, here are some recommendations we suggest:
    • Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
    • Deep Work by Cal Newport
    • The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
    • How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport
    • Linchpin by Seth Godin
    • Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham
    • Work Smarter, Not Harder by The Blinkist Team
    • Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy
    • The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma
    • The Expectation Effect by David Robson