"It's easy to assume that getting rich in money will also mean you are rich in time, but it is often the case that when you earn more money, you end up with less time and more responsibilities.Being rich is nice, but what you really want to optimize for is (1) an income that exceeds your spending by a healthy margin and (2) a lifestyle that is free from rushing."
You can carve out a very good career simply by being the most reliable person on the team. You would not think that always showing up on time, hitting every deadline, and responding quickly and professionally to all communication would be such a differentiator, but these traits are always in short supply.
"It's nice to have a little help, but we often resent when someone else tries to do it all for us. Each individual wants to make their own dreams a reality. If someone hands you the whole thing on a silver platter, they gift you the result, but rob you of the accomplishment.
Remember this not only when chasing your dreams, but also when supporting others. Help along the way, but let them run their own race. Your job is to live life with them, not live their life for them."
Opportunities are grains of sand. They slide right past drooping fingers, but an active palm can gather whatever is within reach and shape it into a little castle. It is the act of engaging with the material that gives it shape.
Compete externally and you compare, compete internally and you improve
The secret is to do a few things for a long time.
The challenge is...
(1) You need to experiment and explore quite a bit to find the thing that is worth doubling down on. It may take a few years (or a decade) to find the project or relationship or cause that you want to commit to for a long time.
(2) New things are always coming up. Once you find something you want to do for a long time, you need the courage and discipline to say no to the shiny, new opportunities. After years of exploring and experimenting, it can be hard to flip the switch and remain focused.
You have to be willing to explore widely enough to find your thing, then willing to focus narrowly enough to make it something great."
Think about the little things you enjoy, then turn around and do them for someone else. If you feel relief when someone asks a question in class, then other students are probably relieved too. Be the one who asks. If it makes your whole day when someone compliments your outfit, other people probably love it too. Give out more compliments. If you love it when a friend calls to check in, your friends probably love it too. Be the one who calls.
Cal Newport is renowned for his groundbreaking insights into focus and productivity. He is the author of Deep Work, Slow Productivity, So Good They Can't Ignore You and Digital Minimalism. I first heard about him on Ali Abdaal's channel, I remember it was a video of Ali summarizing Deep Work, one of Cal's books which I eventually bought, and even got to review some of the initial chapters. That review is somewhere in this blog I have since read two of his books, and plan to purchase another one before the year ends. Today I focus on So Good They Can't Ignore You. Why do some people end up loving what they do for a living, while so many fail at this goal? It starts with mindset. Do you have a craftsman mindset or a passion mindset? People who love their jobs have a craftsman mindset, not a passion mindset. Let me differentiate the two: A passion mindset focuses on what the world can offer you, while a craftsman mindset focuses on what you can offer the world. When you f...
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