Cal Newport asks a question that most people get backwards. The passion mindset asks, “what can the world offer me?” The craftsman mindset asks, “what can I offer the world?” I’ve been sitting with that second question for a while now. And the honest answer surprised me. For a long time, I didn’t think I … Continue reading What Do You Have to Offer?
Tag: gratitude
The Battle
There’s a battle going on inside me that I’m only now learning to talk about. On one side is the craftsman. He wants systems. Structure. Reps. He wants to know the plan, follow the plan, and measure the results. He’s the one who built a 280-day challenge with assessment weeks and daily checklists. He’s the … Continue reading The Battle
The Craftsman and the Machine
I’m reading Cal Newport’s So Good They Can’t Ignore You, and I keep seeing his argument play out in real time at work. Newport says rare and valuable skills — career capital — are what give you leverage. The craftsman builds that capital through reps, not passion. Show up, get deep, get good. The leverage … Continue reading The Craftsman and the Machine
The Challenge From My Son
My son was a couple of days into a 30-day ab challenge when he invited me to join him — and that’s not the kind of invitation you turn down. So I jumped in. And then, because apparently I can’t leave well enough alone, I extended it to 60 days. He got me started. That’s … Continue reading The Challenge From My Son
Fifteen Years Later
I ran across something I wrote in 2011 about Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. The idea that stuck with me then was simple: a character doesn’t change unless they go through hard times and conflict. Without it, the character stays one-dimensional. I used Braveheart as my example. I’ve always loved that … Continue reading Fifteen Years Later
David Willis 