Cal Newport, 2012, ‘The Clarity of the Craftsman’ in So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work, NY Business Plus, ch.4.

Newport presents two different approaches to thinking about work:

The Craftsman Mindset

• “What can you offer the world?” (p8)
• Rather than focusing on the little details, focus instead on being better
• “If you’re not focusing on becoming so good they cant ignore you, you’re going to be left behind.” (p.37)
• “[Eventually] you are so experienced [that] there’s a confidence that comes out.” – Steve Martin (p34)

The Passion Mindset

• “What can the world offer you?” (p38)
• Newport argues that if you only focus on what your work can offer you, it makes you aware of what you don’t like about it, it also prompts you think bout unanswerable questions such as “who am I?” and “what are my true passions in life?” which results in confusion and unhappiness

Newport suggests that the craftsman mindset will offer you clarity, while the passion mindset leads to overwhelming, unanswerable questions. The reading reminds us that “no one owes you a great career… you need to earn it- and the process wont be easy.” Newport responded to criticism that suggested that the craftsman mindset is only applicable to people who know what their passion in life is by arguing that if you focus on what you can put out into the world, and focus on producing and becoming the best you can do/be that the passion will follow. A final point that I really liked and think is important to remember was this: “what you produce is basically all that matters.” (p41) So stop focusing on irrelevant issues and put all that concern to creating something wonderful, and being the best you can possibly be- “be so good they cant ignore you.” (p33, Steve Martin)