So Good They Can’t Ignore You

This quote comes from Steve Martin, who was only 20 when he knew what he wanted. He wanted to be a great comedian. It took him 10 years to master his act and in doing so, presents us with the idea that there is no shortcuts around being great. You need to focus on how you can be better. We ned to have the craftsman mindset. We need to push ourselves. This is opposite to the passion mindset:

Passion mindset: what can the world offer me.

Craftsman mindset: what you can offer the world.

The author discusses how the passion mindset can constantly leave you confused and dissatisfied with what you are doing and where your career is going. These questions might never be answered. However the craftsman mindset offers clarity, and is based on the idea that the world doesn’t owe you anything – you need to work for it. In essence, the author is saying that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know if your job is the right fit, or if it truly makes you happy – instead you need to focus on refining and perfecting said job until you are so good they cannot ignore you. But how do you go about achieving this mindset? At 22 it’s easier said than done to disregard the selfish nagging voice questioning the career path your on and just “knuckle down and get good” at whatever it is you’re already doing. Particularly when all they told us at career guidance in high school was “do what you love!”. In order to master a skill and “be so good they can’t ignore you” arguably, you really have to care about what you’re working towards. Or else you won’t really be all that passionate about it, and you could possibly just never have the drive to overachieve in it.

The author then goes on so squash these ideas by saying that we will always be insecure initially, and the confidence and trust that we are on the right path comes later when we are that good at what we are doing, we no longer have doubt it was never our calling. I feel like I can relate to this so much with regards to the choices I’ve made in relation to photography and videography. How can I be better? How can I learn more? How can I improve? The author claims that adopting the craftsman mindset will be the foundation n which we will build compelling careers, so perhaps it is a mindset I can really embrace.