So Good They Can't Ignore You

Mentioned by Digital Dementia, if I recall correctly, as a counter to the “follow your passion” cliche.

It is not that great, a bit dull and light on substance. It offers a few examples of people who succeeded in their fields because they worked hard and figured out how to create value, then specialized in something they loved. At least it is short and includes some engaging stories.

To feel intrinsically motivated, you must have autonomy, competence, and relatedness over what you do. Great jobs are rare. If you want a great job, you need to offer great value (career capital) in return. Adopting the craftsman mindset is a strategy to acquire career capital. To have a mission is to have a unifying focus for your career. And it takes time to discover and form your career mission. Rather than believing you have to start with a big idea or a perfect plan, make a series of little bets and learn from the failures and small wins.