So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love
Authors: Cal Newport, Cal Newport
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Overview
So Good They Can’t Ignore You challenges the conventional wisdom of “following your passion” as a career strategy. I argue that this advice is not only flawed but can be actively detrimental, leading to chronic job-hopping and disillusionment. Instead, I propose a ‘career capital theory of great work,’ suggesting that the foundation of a fulfilling career is built on acquiring valuable skills and expertise — what I call ‘career capital.’
This capital then allows you to invest in traits that truly make a job great: creativity, impact, and control. The book dives into the importance of each of these traits, illustrating them with real-world examples of individuals who have leveraged this approach to create fulfilling and remarkable careers. Control, in particular, is emphasized as a powerful driver of job satisfaction, so much so that I deem it the ‘dream-job elixir.’
I also acknowledge the challenges inherent in acquiring greater control. The ‘control traps,’ as I explain, can ensnare those who seek greater autonomy without the necessary capital to back it up, or who face resistance from employers who recognize their increased value. The ‘law of financial viability’ offers guidance for navigating these traps, suggesting that pursuing more control is wise only if others are willing to ‘pay’ for the value you bring.
Finally, I address the power of mission in shaping a fulfilling career. But like the other desirable traits, mission, I argue, is not something you find through introspection, but rather something you build by first accumulating career capital. Then you can use that capital to pursue missions by leveraging ‘little bets’ — small projects that generate concrete feedback — and the ‘law of remarkability,’ which emphasizes projects that are both noteworthy and launched in the right venue. Throughout the book, I share how I have been working to apply these principles in my own career transition into academia.
This book targets anyone struggling with career decisions or seeking greater fulfillment in their work. It’s particularly relevant in today’s rapidly evolving job market, where traditional career paths are becoming less common and individuals are increasingly responsible for shaping their own career trajectory. In the context of AI and technology, the book’s emphasis on developing valuable skills is directly applicable to those seeking to establish themselves in this competitive and ever-changing field. The principles of deliberate practice, career capital, and mission-driven work can be used by software engineers, data scientists, product managers, and other tech professionals to create more fulfilling and impactful careers.
Book Outline
1. Chapter One: The “Passion” of Steve Jobs
The commonly held belief that ‘following your passion’ leads to career happiness is often misguided and potentially harmful. The story of Thomas, a man who dedicated his life to his passion for Zen Buddhism only to find himself unfulfilled, exemplifies this.
Key concept: The Passion Hypothesis: The key to occupational happiness is to first figure out what you’re passionate about and then find a job that matches this passion. This hypothesis, while popular, is ultimately flawed and can lead to chronic job-hopping and dissatisfaction.
2. Chapter Two: Passion Is Rare
The idea that everyone has a pre-existing passion they just need to discover is not supported by research. Studies show that career passions are uncommon and often emerge after developing valuable skills and expertise within a field.
Key concept: Passion Is Rare: True career passions are rare, and often develop after you’ve become good at something, not before. The Roadtrip Nation interviews reveal that compelling careers often have complex origins that reject the simple idea of following pre-existing passions.
3. Chapter Three: Passion Is Dangerous
The pursuit of passion can be dangerous, leading to unrealistic expectations and a sense of constant dissatisfaction. Focusing solely on what a job offers you rather than what you can offer the job sets you up for disappointment.
Key concept: The Passion Hypothesis Is Dangerous: Believing there’s a single, perfect ‘right’ job can lead to chronic job-hopping and crippling self-doubt when this certainty proves elusive. This is reinforced by declining job satisfaction statistics.
4. Chapter Four: The Clarity of the Craftsman
Instead of focusing on passion, adopt the craftsman mindset. This involves focusing on developing valuable skills and offering something rare and valuable to the world. This approach leads to career capital, which is the true currency of job satisfaction.
Key concept: The Craftsman Mindset: This mindset focuses on what you can offer the world. It argues that mastery and skill development are fundamental to career satisfaction. ‘The tape doesn’t lie,’ meaning the quality of what you produce is paramount.
5. Chapter Five: The Power of Career Capital
The traits that define great jobs — creativity, impact, and control — are rare and valuable. To acquire these traits, you need to develop rare and valuable skills, accumulating ‘career capital’. This is the economic reality of fulfilling work.
Key concept: Career Capital: Think of rare and valuable skills you can offer as your career capital. The more capital you accumulate, the more leverage you’ll have to acquire traits that make a job great: creativity, impact, and control.
6. Chapter Six: The Career Capitalists
Career capital in action is illustrated by the career paths of a television writer and a venture capitalist. Both individuals, through different approaches, prioritized developing valuable skills and then leveraged this ‘capital’ to gain control and autonomy in their careers.
Key concept: No two paths to career capital accumulation look exactly alike – but all involve dedication to becoming excellent and leveraging opportunities to deploy skills.
7. Chapter Seven: Becoming a Craftsman
To accumulate career capital, engage in deliberate practice. This involves pushing your skills beyond your comfort zone, seeking immediate feedback, and constantly stretching your abilities. This approach is often difficult, but essential for mastery.
Key concept: Deliberate Practice: This activity is designed to effectively improve specific aspects of an individual’s performance, typically by a teacher. It involves pushing past your comfort zone and seeking consistent, immediate feedback.
8. Chapter Eight: The Dream-Job Elixir
Control over your work and how you perform it is a powerful driver of job satisfaction. The example of Red Fire Farm illustrates how control, not just the nature of the work itself, can make a career deeply fulfilling.
Key concept: The Dream-Job Elixir: Control over what you do and how you do it is essential for career satisfaction. This sense of autonomy is often what makes seemingly mundane jobs so appealing to those who hold them.
9. Chapter Nine: The First Control Trap
Pursuing control before acquiring sufficient career capital can backfire. The ‘courage culture,’ which encourages simply following one’s dreams, often overlooks the critical role of developing skills and building value first.
Key concept: The First Control Trap: Control without career capital is not sustainable.
10. Chapter Ten: The Second Control Trap
When you become valuable enough to demand more control, your current employer may try to prevent you from leaving or changing your role. This resistance highlights the importance of recognizing your value and strategically negotiating for greater autonomy.
Key concept: The Second Control Trap: Once you have enough career capital to pursue more control, employers recognize your value and try to prevent you from making changes.
11. Chapter Eleven: Avoiding the Control Traps
To navigate the control traps, apply the Law of Financial Viability. This means pursuing control only if there’s evidence that others are willing to pay for the value it brings – either in the form of direct payments, investment, or continued employment.
Key concept: The Law of Financial Viability: When pursuing more control, ask if people are willing to pay for it. If so, continue. If not, move on. This is not about chasing money, but using it as a neutral indicator of value.
12. Chapter Twelve: The Meaningful Life of Pardis Sabeti
A career mission provides a unifying focus and sense of purpose, boosting both satisfaction and resilience to the strains of hard work. However, missions should emerge organically from experience and skill development, not from abstract soul-searching.
Key concept: Mission: This provides a unifying focus for your career, answering ‘What should I do with my life?’ It’s important to note that missions are best discovered, not created out of thin air.
13. Chapter Thirteen: Missions Require Capital
Choosing a mission before acquiring sufficient career capital is unlikely to be sustainable. Missions require context and expertise to develop and thrive.
Key concept: Missions Require Capital: A clear and compelling mission is rarely developed early in a career. It often requires significant career capital before you have enough context to see your work’s potential.
14. Chapter Fourteen: Missions Require Little Bets
Effective missions often evolve from a series of ‘little bets’ – small, concrete experiments that provide feedback and direction. This approach allows for exploration and refinement, leading to more compelling outcomes.
Key concept: Little Bets: To identify a good mission, experiment with ‘little bets’ - small, achievable projects that generate concrete feedback. This allows you to test and refine different approaches.
15. Chapter Fifteen: Missions Require Marketing
Successful missions are not only compelling, but also remarkable. They capture attention and inspire others to spread the word. The Law of Remarkability emphasizes choosing projects that stand out and launching them in venues conducive to attention and discussion.
Key concept: The Law of Remarkability: For a mission-driven project to succeed, it should be remarkable. This means it compels people to remark about it, and is launched in a venue that supports this.
Essential Questions
1. What is the ‘passion hypothesis,’ and why does it often fail to lead to career satisfaction?
The passion hypothesis encourages individuals to focus on identifying a pre-existing passion and then finding a job that matches it. However, research suggests that true career passions are rare and often develop after someone becomes skilled in a field. This explains why many people who follow the passion hypothesis end up dissatisfied or job-hopping. They lack the valuable skills required to excel and find fulfillment in any job. The pursuit of passion without skill often leads to unrealistic expectations and a disconnect between the imagined ideal and the realities of the working world. This flawed advice can cause significant harm to one’s career trajectory and overall happiness.
2. What is the ‘craftsman mindset,’ and how does it differ from the ‘passion mindset’?
The craftsman mindset prioritizes skill development and mastery, focusing on what value you can bring to the world rather than what a job can offer you. This focus shifts the attention away from seeking an ideal job that perfectly aligns with your passions and toward developing valuable skills that can be applied in a variety of contexts. By adopting the craftsman mindset, individuals become more resilient to the challenges and uncertainties of the job market. As they become increasingly skilled, they acquire leverage to gain more control and autonomy over their work, shaping it to better fit their interests and values.
3. What is ‘career capital,’ and why is it important for creating work you love?
Career capital is a measure of the skills and expertise you acquire that are both rare and valuable in the job market. The more career capital you possess, the more control, creativity, and impact you can command in your career. These traits are not inherently tied to specific jobs, but rather to the skills and leverage you bring to the table. By focusing on developing valuable skills, you make yourself indispensable, giving you the ability to negotiate for the type of work you want and the terms under which you perform it. This emphasis on career capital shifts the focus from searching for the ‘perfect’ job to cultivating the skills necessary to create a fulfilling career in any field.
4. What is a ‘career mission,’ and how does it differ from a passion?
A career mission is an overarching purpose that unifies your work, answering the question, ‘What should I do with my life?’ Unlike passions, which are often fleeting and difficult to define, a mission can guide your career trajectory across multiple roles and provide a deeper sense of meaning and fulfillment. Missions are most effective when they arise organically from your accumulated career capital and expertise. They should reflect your unique skills and contributions to the world, rather than being imposed based on external expectations or societal pressures. This approach allows for more authentic and sustainable career development.
5. What are the key elements required to turn a career mission into a successful reality?
To successfully pursue a career mission, it’s essential to apply a combination of ‘little bets,’ the ‘law of remarkability,’ and patience. ‘Little bets’ are small, concrete experiments that provide valuable feedback, helping you refine your direction. The ‘law of remarkability’ suggests that a successful mission-driven project should be noteworthy and launched in a venue that allows for wide recognition. Finally, patience, similar to that shown by Pardis Sabeti, is crucial, as it can take time to build the career capital and expertise necessary to launch a successful mission. Forcing a mission too early in your career, before you have sufficient capital, is likely to result in frustration and failure.
1. What is the ‘passion hypothesis,’ and why does it often fail to lead to career satisfaction?
The passion hypothesis encourages individuals to focus on identifying a pre-existing passion and then finding a job that matches it. However, research suggests that true career passions are rare and often develop after someone becomes skilled in a field. This explains why many people who follow the passion hypothesis end up dissatisfied or job-hopping. They lack the valuable skills required to excel and find fulfillment in any job. The pursuit of passion without skill often leads to unrealistic expectations and a disconnect between the imagined ideal and the realities of the working world. This flawed advice can cause significant harm to one’s career trajectory and overall happiness.
2. What is the ‘craftsman mindset,’ and how does it differ from the ‘passion mindset’?
The craftsman mindset prioritizes skill development and mastery, focusing on what value you can bring to the world rather than what a job can offer you. This focus shifts the attention away from seeking an ideal job that perfectly aligns with your passions and toward developing valuable skills that can be applied in a variety of contexts. By adopting the craftsman mindset, individuals become more resilient to the challenges and uncertainties of the job market. As they become increasingly skilled, they acquire leverage to gain more control and autonomy over their work, shaping it to better fit their interests and values.
3. What is ‘career capital,’ and why is it important for creating work you love?
Career capital is a measure of the skills and expertise you acquire that are both rare and valuable in the job market. The more career capital you possess, the more control, creativity, and impact you can command in your career. These traits are not inherently tied to specific jobs, but rather to the skills and leverage you bring to the table. By focusing on developing valuable skills, you make yourself indispensable, giving you the ability to negotiate for the type of work you want and the terms under which you perform it. This emphasis on career capital shifts the focus from searching for the ‘perfect’ job to cultivating the skills necessary to create a fulfilling career in any field.
4. What is a ‘career mission,’ and how does it differ from a passion?
A career mission is an overarching purpose that unifies your work, answering the question, ‘What should I do with my life?’ Unlike passions, which are often fleeting and difficult to define, a mission can guide your career trajectory across multiple roles and provide a deeper sense of meaning and fulfillment. Missions are most effective when they arise organically from your accumulated career capital and expertise. They should reflect your unique skills and contributions to the world, rather than being imposed based on external expectations or societal pressures. This approach allows for more authentic and sustainable career development.
5. What are the key elements required to turn a career mission into a successful reality?
To successfully pursue a career mission, it’s essential to apply a combination of ‘little bets,’ the ‘law of remarkability,’ and patience. ‘Little bets’ are small, concrete experiments that provide valuable feedback, helping you refine your direction. The ‘law of remarkability’ suggests that a successful mission-driven project should be noteworthy and launched in a venue that allows for wide recognition. Finally, patience, similar to that shown by Pardis Sabeti, is crucial, as it can take time to build the career capital and expertise necessary to launch a successful mission. Forcing a mission too early in your career, before you have sufficient capital, is likely to result in frustration and failure.
Key Takeaways
1. Adopt the Craftsman Mindset.
This mindset emphasizes skill development and mastery as the foundation for career satisfaction. Instead of focusing on finding the ‘perfect’ job or following a pre-existing passion, the craftsman mindset encourages individuals to focus on what they can offer the world. This approach leads to the accumulation of career capital – valuable skills that are in demand – which can then be leveraged for more fulfilling work. The craftsman mindset also promotes a sense of control and autonomy, as individuals become increasingly skilled and valuable, they gain more influence over their work and career trajectory.
Practical Application:
A software engineer can leverage the Craftsman Mindset by focusing on achieving mastery in a specific area of programming, such as machine learning, distributed systems, or cybersecurity. They can engage in deliberate practice by working on challenging side projects, contributing to open-source initiatives, and seeking feedback from experienced colleagues and mentors. By prioritizing skill development over abstract career aspirations, they can accumulate career capital that can be leveraged for future opportunities and advancement.
2. Engage in Deliberate Practice.
Deliberate practice is a structured approach to skill development that involves pushing beyond your comfort zone and seeking immediate feedback. This is not just about putting in the hours, but about intentionally stretching your abilities and receiving honest criticism. This type of practice is often difficult and uncomfortable, but it’s essential for achieving mastery and building career capital. In the context of AI and technology, deliberate practice is crucial for staying competitive in a rapidly evolving field and for pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Practical Application:
A product manager seeking to improve their team’s performance can strategically implement principles of deliberate practice. They can identify specific skills that are critical for success, such as user research, data analysis, or communication. They can then design targeted training programs or assign ‘stretch’ projects that challenge team members to push beyond their comfort zones. Regular feedback sessions and constructive criticism can provide the necessary support for continuous improvement and skill mastery.
3. Prioritize Control.
Control, as Newport defines it, is having autonomy over what you do, when you do it, and how you do it. This sense of ownership over your work is a powerful driver of job satisfaction. It’s not just about working in a field you’re passionate about, but about having the freedom to shape your work in a way that aligns with your values and interests. This is especially important in fields like AI and technology, where creativity and innovation are paramount. Control allows individuals to pursue the projects they find most meaningful and to work in the ways they find most productive.
Practical Application:
An AI researcher could apply this by turning down a management role to focus on cutting-edge research with a small, high-impact team. While the management opportunity might offer increased status and financial rewards, the researcher might judge that the control and creativity afforded by a smaller research-focused role would be a more effective investment of career capital toward a more fulfilling and eventually higher-impact career.
4. Find a Compelling Mission.
A mission is an overarching purpose that unifies your work. It answers the question, ‘What should I do with my life?’ Missions are more general than specific jobs and can guide your career across multiple roles and organizations. By aligning your work with a compelling mission, you create a sense of meaning and purpose that can make even the most difficult tasks more rewarding. This approach is particularly relevant in fields like AI and technology, where the potential impact of your work is vast and the ethical considerations are complex.
Practical Application:
A team of data scientists working on a new machine learning model can benefit from formulating a clear mission. Instead of just focusing on the technical aspects of the project, they can connect their work to a larger purpose, such as improving healthcare outcomes, enhancing environmental sustainability, or advancing AI safety. This shared sense of mission can boost team morale, increase resilience to challenges, and inspire greater creativity and collaboration.
5. Leverage Little Bets.
Little bets are small, achievable projects that allow you to test and refine ideas without a large up-front investment. They provide concrete feedback, which can be used to guide future development and experimentation. This approach is particularly valuable when pursuing a mission, as it allows you to explore different avenues and identify the most promising paths forward. In the context of AI and technology, little bets can be used to prototype new products, test algorithms, or explore the feasibility of innovative ideas.
Practical Application:
An entrepreneur developing a new AI-powered software application can utilize ‘little bets’ to test and refine their product. They can release early beta versions of the software to a small group of users, gather feedback on its features and functionality, and iterate based on this real-world data. This approach allows for experimentation and learning, reducing the risk of investing significant resources in an unsuccessful product.
1. Adopt the Craftsman Mindset.
This mindset emphasizes skill development and mastery as the foundation for career satisfaction. Instead of focusing on finding the ‘perfect’ job or following a pre-existing passion, the craftsman mindset encourages individuals to focus on what they can offer the world. This approach leads to the accumulation of career capital – valuable skills that are in demand – which can then be leveraged for more fulfilling work. The craftsman mindset also promotes a sense of control and autonomy, as individuals become increasingly skilled and valuable, they gain more influence over their work and career trajectory.
Practical Application:
A software engineer can leverage the Craftsman Mindset by focusing on achieving mastery in a specific area of programming, such as machine learning, distributed systems, or cybersecurity. They can engage in deliberate practice by working on challenging side projects, contributing to open-source initiatives, and seeking feedback from experienced colleagues and mentors. By prioritizing skill development over abstract career aspirations, they can accumulate career capital that can be leveraged for future opportunities and advancement.
2. Engage in Deliberate Practice.
Deliberate practice is a structured approach to skill development that involves pushing beyond your comfort zone and seeking immediate feedback. This is not just about putting in the hours, but about intentionally stretching your abilities and receiving honest criticism. This type of practice is often difficult and uncomfortable, but it’s essential for achieving mastery and building career capital. In the context of AI and technology, deliberate practice is crucial for staying competitive in a rapidly evolving field and for pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Practical Application:
A product manager seeking to improve their team’s performance can strategically implement principles of deliberate practice. They can identify specific skills that are critical for success, such as user research, data analysis, or communication. They can then design targeted training programs or assign ‘stretch’ projects that challenge team members to push beyond their comfort zones. Regular feedback sessions and constructive criticism can provide the necessary support for continuous improvement and skill mastery.
3. Prioritize Control.
Control, as Newport defines it, is having autonomy over what you do, when you do it, and how you do it. This sense of ownership over your work is a powerful driver of job satisfaction. It’s not just about working in a field you’re passionate about, but about having the freedom to shape your work in a way that aligns with your values and interests. This is especially important in fields like AI and technology, where creativity and innovation are paramount. Control allows individuals to pursue the projects they find most meaningful and to work in the ways they find most productive.
Practical Application:
An AI researcher could apply this by turning down a management role to focus on cutting-edge research with a small, high-impact team. While the management opportunity might offer increased status and financial rewards, the researcher might judge that the control and creativity afforded by a smaller research-focused role would be a more effective investment of career capital toward a more fulfilling and eventually higher-impact career.
4. Find a Compelling Mission.
A mission is an overarching purpose that unifies your work. It answers the question, ‘What should I do with my life?’ Missions are more general than specific jobs and can guide your career across multiple roles and organizations. By aligning your work with a compelling mission, you create a sense of meaning and purpose that can make even the most difficult tasks more rewarding. This approach is particularly relevant in fields like AI and technology, where the potential impact of your work is vast and the ethical considerations are complex.
Practical Application:
A team of data scientists working on a new machine learning model can benefit from formulating a clear mission. Instead of just focusing on the technical aspects of the project, they can connect their work to a larger purpose, such as improving healthcare outcomes, enhancing environmental sustainability, or advancing AI safety. This shared sense of mission can boost team morale, increase resilience to challenges, and inspire greater creativity and collaboration.
5. Leverage Little Bets.
Little bets are small, achievable projects that allow you to test and refine ideas without a large up-front investment. They provide concrete feedback, which can be used to guide future development and experimentation. This approach is particularly valuable when pursuing a mission, as it allows you to explore different avenues and identify the most promising paths forward. In the context of AI and technology, little bets can be used to prototype new products, test algorithms, or explore the feasibility of innovative ideas.
Practical Application:
An entrepreneur developing a new AI-powered software application can utilize ‘little bets’ to test and refine their product. They can release early beta versions of the software to a small group of users, gather feedback on its features and functionality, and iterate based on this real-world data. This approach allows for experimentation and learning, reducing the risk of investing significant resources in an unsuccessful product.
Memorable Quotes
Introduction. 5
‘Follow your passion’ is dangerous advice.”
Chapter Four. 36
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
Chapter Four. 37
“The tape doesn’t lie.”
Chapter Seven. 76
Working right trumps finding the right work.
Chapter Eleven. 101
Do what people are willing to pay for.
Introduction. 5
‘Follow your passion’ is dangerous advice.”
Chapter Four. 36
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
Chapter Four. 37
“The tape doesn’t lie.”
Chapter Seven. 76
Working right trumps finding the right work.
Chapter Eleven. 101
Do what people are willing to pay for.
Comparative Analysis
“So Good They Can’t Ignore You” stands out in the career advice genre by challenging the popular “follow your passion” mantra. Many books, such as “Do What You Are” by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger, or “Career Match” by Shoya Zichy, focus on personality assessments and matching interests to existing careers. Others in the self-help vein, like “Escape from Cubicle Nation” by Pamela Slim, emphasize entrepreneurial pursuits as a path to passion. These approaches, however, often overlook the importance of skill development. Newport’s career capital theory aligns more closely with the deliberate practice research popularized by Anders Ericsson in “Peak” and by Geoff Colvin in “Talent is Overrated.” These books emphasize that exceptional performance, in any field, is primarily driven by dedicated, focused practice. Newport’s unique contribution is adapting these insights into a actionable career strategy, emphasizing the importance of acquiring valuable skills as leverage for greater control, creativity, and the pursuit of a meaningful mission.
Reflection
“So Good They Can’t Ignore You” offers a compelling alternative to traditional career advice. Its emphasis on skill acquisition and deliberate practice provides a tangible roadmap for career development, especially relevant in fields like AI where continuous learning is essential. However, the book’s focus on career capital might oversimplify the complexities of the job market. Not all valuable skills translate directly into control or fulfilling missions. Luck, networking, and other factors also play a role. Moreover, the craftsman mindset, while beneficial for skill development, might not suit everyone’s personality or career goals. Some individuals might prioritize work-life balance or social impact over mastery or control. Despite these potential limitations, the book’s central argument – that skill development trumps passion in the pursuit of fulfilling work – remains a valuable and often overlooked perspective in the career-advice landscape. Its emphasis on deliberate practice, career capital, and the pursuit of control provide a solid foundation for building a successful and satisfying career in any field, especially within the fast-paced and constantly evolving world of AI and technology.
Flashcards
What is the passion hypothesis?
The belief that you should first identify your passion and then find a job that matches it.
What is the craftsman mindset?
A focus on developing valuable skills and offering something rare and valuable to the world.
What is career capital?
Rare and valuable skills that you possess and can leverage in the job market.
What is control in the context of career capital theory?
Having control over what you do, how you do it, and when you do it.
What is a career mission?
An overarching purpose that guides your career trajectory and provides a sense of meaning.
What are ‘little bets’?
Small, concrete experiments that generate feedback and help refine your direction.
What is the law of remarkability?
A mission-driven project must be remarkable (compelling people to remark about it) and launched in a venue that supports such remarking.
What is the first control trap?
Pursuing control without sufficient career capital.
What is the second control trap?
Facing resistance from employers when you have enough career capital to demand more control.
What is the law of financial viability?
Seek evidence of whether people are willing to pay for it (either with money, opportunities, or continued employment).
What is the passion hypothesis?
The belief that you should first identify your passion and then find a job that matches it.
What is the craftsman mindset?
A focus on developing valuable skills and offering something rare and valuable to the world.
What is career capital?
Rare and valuable skills that you possess and can leverage in the job market.
What is control in the context of career capital theory?
Having control over what you do, how you do it, and when you do it.
What is a career mission?
An overarching purpose that guides your career trajectory and provides a sense of meaning.
What are ‘little bets’?
Small, concrete experiments that generate feedback and help refine your direction.
What is the law of remarkability?
A mission-driven project must be remarkable (compelling people to remark about it) and launched in a venue that supports such remarking.
What is the first control trap?
Pursuing control without sufficient career capital.
What is the second control trap?
Facing resistance from employers when you have enough career capital to demand more control.
What is the law of financial viability?
Seek evidence of whether people are willing to pay for it (either with money, opportunities, or continued employment).