The World's Best Book Summaries
Do you want to know how to become a full-time artist? How can you earn a living from doing what you love? Many aspiring artists want to do what they love full-time, but struggle to make it happen. The key is to treat your passion like a day job, with regular commitment and a focus on productivity and results. Knowing how to do this will help you go from an amateur to a professional. Find out how to become a full-time artist below.
How much career capital do you have? How can it lead to career happiness? Desirable jobs are scarce and prized. You can “buy” such jobs by using career capital, which is made up of scarce and prized skills. In other words, developing valuable skills is the best way to get a job you love. A focus on skill development—”the craftsperson mindset”—is the first step in building up career capital. Keep reading to learn about career capital.
Does following your passion lead to joy in your work? What does the research say? Cal Newport shares the evidence against the “passion hypothesis”—the idea that you can find a job you like by first figuring out what you’re passionate about, and then looking for a job that allows you to use this passion. According to scientific research, surveys, and interviews, following your passion shouldn’t be your focus if your goal is to find a job you love. Read more to learn why following your passion is not the way to find happiness at work.
Have you heard that ability matters more than passion when it comes to finding work you love? Do you know why skills trump passion? Cal Newport believes that it’s easier for highly skilled people to write their own tickets when it comes to job choice, ultimately allowing them to do work they love. He shares three stories that illustrate why skills trump passion. One story is his own. Read more to learn why skills trump passion.
Do you work in high-profile sales? What can you do to level up your sales game? Jeffrey Gitomer, the author of several best-selling books on sales, argues that to be successful at sales, you must first create an atmosphere conducive to buying. To this end, you must first prepare by doing your research on the prospect’s business. Once you understand their needs, try to secure a meeting with the top decision-maker in the company. And after getting in front of the person who can say “yes” to a sale, the next step is to give value. Here are some tips
Do you struggle with workplace distractions? What are the two worst external triggers for distraction and stress? Is it possible to control the environment around you and cut them out? According to Nir Eyal, the two biggest external triggers for distraction at work are other people and email. It may be impossible to cut them out of your workday, but it is possible to reduce distraction from communication by setting boundaries. Here is what Nir Eyal has to say about reducing distractions from communication at work.
How do you define your major definite purpose? What do you do after identifying your goal in life? You can define your definite purpose by identifying your clear, specific goal in life, and visualizing a future where you have fulfilled your desires. Create a specific plan to achieve your goals, and start on it right away. Read on to discover how having a definite purpose can help you turn your desires for riches into reality.
Do you often find yourself stuck in workplace meetings that feel like a waste of time? How can you organize your meetings so they cause traction rather than a distraction? A lot of the time, workplace meetings pull you away from your productive work and force you to listen to unproductive conversations. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Here is Nir Eyal’s advice on how to make workplace meetings more productive and efficient.
What distinguishes a successful salesman from an average one? How do some salespeople manage to consistently close sale after sale, cashing in commissions, while others struggle to hit their minimum? Many salespeople, especially at the beginning of their career, erroneously think that pushing the prospect to buy is the best way to clinch the deal. And while the aggressive approach might work from time to time, it’s not going to bring you consistent sales. Rather than pushing the customer to buy what you have, your job as a salesperson is capitalizing on the desire to buy—that is, making the customer
How can career reflection help you find job satisfaction? What questions should you be asking yourself? Career reflection questions can help you work out whether you’re on the right track in your career. You’ll find out what motivates you, the assumptions you have, and how to track your resources. Read on to find some helpful career reflection questions.