So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love

by Cal Newport

Compelling careers often have complex origins that reject the simple idea that all you have to do is follow your passion.

In other words, I am suggesting that you put aside the question of whether your job is your true passion, and instead turn your focus toward becoming so good they can’t ignore you. That is, regardless of what you do for a living, approach your work like a true performer.

I like the term “stretch” for describing what deliberate practice feels like, as it matches my own experience with the activity.

Giving people more control over what they do and how they do it increases their happiness, engagement, and sense of fulfillment.