So good they can't ignore you - Cal Newport

Cal Newport's clearly-written manifesto flies in
the face of conventional wisdom by suggesting that it should be a
person's talent and skill -
and not necessarily their passion - that
determines their career path.

Newport, who graduated from
Dartmouth College (Phi Beta Kappa) and earned a PhD. from MIT, contends
that trying to find what drives us, instead of focusing on areas in
which we naturally excel, is ultimately harmful and frustrating to job
seekers.

The title is a direct quote from comedian Steve Martin
who, when once asked why he was successful in his career, immediately
replied: "Be so good they can't ignore you" and that's the main basis
for Newport's book. Skill and ability trump passion.

Inspired by
former Apple CEO Steve Jobs' famous Stanford University commencement
speech in which Jobs urges idealistic grads to chase their dreams,
Newport takes issue with that advice, claiming that not only is thsi
advice Pollyannish, but that Jobs himself never followed his own advice.

From
there, Newport presents compelling scientific and contemporary case
study evidence that the key to one's career success is to find out what
you do well, where you have built up your 'career capital,' and then to
put all of your efforts into that direction.