So Good They Can't Ignore You - Cal Newport

So Good They Can't Ignore You

By Cal Newport

  • Release Date: 2012-09-18
  • Genre: Careers
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 246 Ratings
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Description

In this book with unique perspective, professor Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice, and sets out to discover the reality of how people end up loving their careers.

A focus on passion over skill can be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping. Spending time with professionals who admit to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they use and the pitfalls they avoid in developing their compelling careers.

Cal reveals 4 Rules for falling in love with your job:

#1: Don't follow your passion
#2: Be so good they can't ignore you
#3: Turn down a promotion
#4: Think small, act big

Cal Newport's manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation. So Good They Can't Ignore You 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.

Reviews

  • Every college student and young professional should read this book

    5
    By Coach Hobbs
    I read around 60 books per year and this might be my favorite in 2022. It is full of direct advice and interesting stories, and received an easy 5 stars rating.

  • Sobering Message

    5
    By Reza Mehr
    This book has a very un-sexy but extremely sobering message about how to invest your life to turn a job to a great and satisfying job, instead of waste you life searching for a great job.

  • Wish there was a shortened version

    4
    By Mustard Zoltar Podrowska
    95% of the book is anecdotes about unbelievable people. The narrator is intensely boring and you’ll want to listen to it on at least 1.25x - 2x speed. It is said to be 6 hrs 28 mins and it was a real grind to get through it. It probably could have been 1-2 hours easy. That being said, I give it 4 stars because the thesis of the book is eye opening.

  • A must read

    4
    By simizo1
    Really frank and honest read on how passion is not everything. Helped me make sense of my disjointed experiences by summing it as 'career capital'

  • Great outlook on choosing a career

    4
    By Gefiltefish
    Effectively destroys the "passion" argument.

  • A Good Quick Read

    4
    By NBoise
    Definitely worth the money and the time spent reading it. Newport provides an interesting take on passion as it relates to a career with numerous examples. However, at times I felt the flow was off from one topic to the next. Furthermore, the constant review after each section and then at the end of chapters was unnecessary. Lastly, an argument could be made as to how the persons of example in the book would relate to the average individual. Many of them were graduates of ivy league schools and/or young business prodigies. With that being said I would recommend picking it up for anyone out there with the goal of finding their dream job on their mind.

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