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

Working right trumps finding the right work.

“Money is a neutral indicator of value. By aiming to make money, you’re aiming to be valuable.”

Don’t obsess over discovering your true calling. Instead, master rare and valuable skills. Once you build up the career capital that these skills generate, invest it wisely. Use it to acquire control over what you do and how you do it, and to identify and act on a life-changing mission. This philosophy is less sexy than the fantasy of dropping ever

“I have this principle about money that overrides my other life rules,” he said. “Do what people are willing to pay for.”

THREE DISQUALIFIERS FOR APPLYING THE CRAFTSMAN MINDSET The job presents few opportunities to distinguish yourself by developing relevant skills that are rare and valuable. The job focuses on something you think is useless or perhaps even actively bad for the world. The job forces you to work with people you really dislike.7

If you want a mission, you need to first acquire capital. If you skip this step, you might end up like Sarah and Jane: with lots of enthusiasm but very little to show for it.

Hardness scares off the daydreamers and the timid, leaving more opportunity for those like us who are willing to take the time to carefully work out the best path forward and then confidently take action.

television writing is attractive because it has the three traits that make people love their work: impact, creativity, and control.

Control that’s acquired without career capital is not sustainable.