So Good They Can't Ignore You

The passion hypothesis is not just wrong, it’s also dangerous. Telling someone to “follow their passion” is not just an act of innocent optimism, but potentially the foundation for a career riddled with confusion and angst.

People] thrive by focusing on the question of who they really are—and connecting that to work that they truly love.”6 Po Bronson wrote this in a 2002 manifesto published in Fast Company. This should sound familiar, as it’s exactly the type

The more I studied the issue, the more I noticed that the passion hypothesis convinces people that somewhere there’s a magic “right” job waiting for them,

if you just show up and work hard, you’ll soon hit a performance plateau beyond which you fail to get any better.

Just because you have a good idea for a mission, however, doesn’t mean that you’ll succeed in its pursuit.

To have a mission is to have a unifying focus for your career. It’s more general than a specific job and can span multiple positions.

Chapter Two Passion Is Rare

Doing things we know how to do well is enjoyable, and that’s exactly the opposite of what deliberate practice demands.… Deliberate practice is above all an effort of focus and concentration. That is what makes it “deliberate,” as distinct from the mindless playing of scales or hitting of tennis balls that most people engage in.

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.