So Good They Can’t Ignore You

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.