I just finished reading the book “So Good They Can’t Ignore You” by Cal Newport. The author is better known for his books “Slow Productivity” and “Deep Work”. The one I just read is one of his older books, but it was oh so good. And right up my alley when it comes to thinking about how to approach one’s work in terms of mindset and application.

A case against passion

If you’ve read my post titled “No Passion, Sorry, Just Curiosity”, I talk about how I don’t feel passionate about my work as an artist, but I have come to enjoy it immensely over the years that I have dedicated to learning the craft of making good paintings. And that with the help of actually making a lot of work, and taking courses to learn specific aspects of art making like design and composition.

Cal Newport talks about the danger of expecting passion to guide our careers, which may lead to a “career riddled with confusion and angst”. He calls for something called the “Craftsman Mindset” instead to bring to any job one may find themselves in- to get so good at any work or skill that people around take notice and realize your expertise at it. In the book he goes on to defend that this is the way to build a compelling career. With getting better, passion may follow. And the joy in one’s work certainly increases with increasing competence.

I have a Craftsman Mindset…!

I did not know the path I was quietly taking all these years had this funky term of “Craftsman Mindset” to it. But needless to say, I am all for it. I only found myself learning drawing and painting skills in my early 30s because I suddenly had easy access to an art supply store, and time at home. I made a whole lot of rubbish, and still do, but I keep going. And yes, getting better does make me happy. Also, the drive to keep getting better gets driven by getting better over time- a cycle that moves itself now. But the initial push was definitely hard. Made easy by having minimal stakes and driven forward by curiosity, in my case.

There is a whole lot more meaty stuff in this book that I would write about in my future posts. For today, I will sleep happy knowing I’ve had a “Craftsman Mindset” all these years and it has served me well, just like Cal Newport proposes in his book. And it’s something that can serve over the years and all kinds of pursuits.

The trick is to keep at it.