So Good They Can’t Ignore You

This chapter from Cal Newport’s book ‘So good they can’t ignore you’ presents the notion that when it comes to approaching and developing a career there are two types of mindsets.

1. The Craftsmen Mindset
2. The Passion Mindset

Newport provides a breakdown on the key characteristics that surmise both mindsets. The craftsmen mindset is presented as one that focuses on developing ones skill and adding value to the work, and the passion mindset projects attention on value that can benefit the individual.

Newport challenges the conventional thinking that building a career is determined by discovering what your passionate about. Arguing that pursing passion leads to unhappiness as opposed to joy because the path would lead people to focus on what they like about a job resulting in them becoming aware of what they don’t like. Following this Newport states that passion requires one to question their identity met by the need to discover what job will supply the answer to that question, resulting in confusion.

The craftsmen mindset on the flipside is one that Newport states allows one to release them selves of finding the right fit and focus on getting good and what your job. He cites the experiences of successful entertainers like Steve Martin; to reinforce this mindset by claiming that they have adopted this model, as Martin spent nearly ten years of his life developing his craft as a comedian before his show was a success.

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