I listened to a podcast interview between Cal Newport and Tim Ferris on the Tim Ferris Podcast, and I was astounded to hear Newport’s story and how we came to be how he is. He explored so many ideas already covered in his book, be so good they can’t ignore you, but he really hit it home when he told the story about the origins of the name for the book.
Everyone is always trying to get the recipe, the formula, the quick fix into how to become a great writer, a famous artist, a legend. Everyone who is starting their career often goes and asks advice to someone who has already become very successful in their respective fields to ask them, “what steps do I need to take in order to become successful beyond my imagination?”.
This is all to say that we always try to find success in the recipe, rather than the craft.
Newport heard something amazing. The piece of advice he got was “be so good they can’t ignore you”. Think about that phrase for just another moment; delve deep into your craft, be good at it, learn from it, and they won’t ignore you.
All of us have become slaves to the idea that there’s a simple four step process or a pre-established path so we can get to the top, but this doesn’t matter. It has become artificial. It is not real success.
When we try to go for the quick fix, and we achieve success, it doesn’t taste as good as if our success had been born out of genuine craftsmanship. It is a tragedy because most of us don’t event know how does real success tastes because we have been sold rotten goods through the notion of formulas and steps to follow to become great.
I decided to stop doing that. When I heard Newport mention how the twisted a notion we have about becoming great, it just flicked a switch in my mind. I have gone through extensive efforts to study the greats, and in the process I forgot my love for my craft — which paradoxically is what separates the true greats vs. the fake ones.
Love for the craft one does is a profound idea, yet very simple to do. Rather than focusing on following a method to become great, become great by being one with what you do. Stop thinking about where will your efforts get you, and instead stay in the present moment, and being in sync with your craft. By becoming one with what you do, it is almost a guarantee that they won’t ignore you, because you’re automatically an outlier in a world of fakes, of processes, of methodologies and manipulations.
I have become so much better in what I do, not because I follow a method. I choose everyday to approach my craft in a sincere, almost naive manner. Like a child does, we must be in awe every time we engage with our own craft.
