Comments on: The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/ Demystifying Sustainable Success Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:19:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: Skip » Blog Archive » I Like the Idea http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9859 Skip » Blog Archive » I Like the Idea Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:59:10 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9859 [...] The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard The main advantage, however, is that, in the end, the whole point of worrying about your career is because you want to feel good about your life. By cutting to the bottom-line — what would make me feel best? — and then working backward from this answer, you are maximizing your odds that you’ll actually get somewhere worth going. [...] […] The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard The main advantage, however, is that, in the end, the whole point of worrying about your career is because you want to feel good about your life. By cutting to the bottom-line — what would make me feel best? — and then working backward from this answer, you are maximizing your odds that you’ll actually get somewhere worth going. […]

]]> By: Online Colleges http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9798 Online Colleges Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:31:14 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9798 Excellent post. I really like your concept of aiming for your dream lifestyle instead of your dream job. Of course there are different approaches that work best for different people but this is one approach I think many people will be able to relate to. Excellent post. I really like your concept of aiming for your dream lifestyle instead of your dream job. Of course there are different approaches that work best for different people but this is one approach I think many people will be able to relate to.

]]> By: To Masters or Not? | Swaroop C H - India, Technology, Life Skills http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9272 To Masters or Not? | Swaroop C H - India, Technology, Life Skills Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:43:16 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9272 [...] If you don’t know the answer, then the answer is: Fix the lifestyle you want. Then work backwards from there. – Cal Newport [...] […] If you don’t know the answer, then the answer is: Fix the lifestyle you want. Then work backwards from there. – Cal Newport […]

]]> By: Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Diligence vs. Ability: Rethinking What Impresses Employers http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9118 Study Hacks » Blog Archive » Diligence vs. Ability: Rethinking What Impresses Employers Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:56:43 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-9118 [...] of this, I have a habit of sharing career advice around this time. Last year, I pitched the idea of lifestyle-centric planning. This year, I want to briefly discuss a crucial distinction that can shape the character of your [...] […] of this, I have a habit of sharing career advice around this time. Last year, I pitched the idea of lifestyle-centric planning. This year, I want to briefly discuss a crucial distinction that can shape the character of your […]

]]> By: Study Hacks http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8504 Study Hacks Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:22:08 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8504 <blockquote>What do you do when your lifestyle goals conflict with each other? How do you reconcile them? How do you evaluate them?</blockquote> Can you combine them? Presumably vagabonding can be a source of experience that can inform efforts to change the world in a more profound way.

What do you do when your lifestyle goals conflict with each other? How do you reconcile them? How do you evaluate them?

Can you combine them? Presumably vagabonding can be a source of experience that can inform efforts to change the world in a more profound way.

]]> By: Jessica http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8503 Jessica Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:38:20 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8503 Cal -- I've been reading your blog avidly -- great stuff! I think the lifestyle design idea is phenomenal. I'm at a crossroads and deciding what to do next with my life. I started college late and recently graduated from an Ivy League university in the US. I am considering several career paths and have done your design exercise for all of them. My issue is that I am torn between two things: 1) a "bohemian" type lifestyle in which I travel the world cheaply, learn languages, and spend a lot of time exploring other cultures 2) an "overachiever" type lifestyle in which I use my fancy Ivy education and job offer from a famous consulting firm to get ahead. I don't really care that much about material possessions (the big house, car, etc.), but I do like to have an impact on the world, and want to have the credentials and experience that will make people take me seriously. I have grad school admission to a top business school (I did some business things before college) and am also considering law school. I want to have an impact, and all of the people I know who do this are "in the system". I know that you don't need fancy degrees to do so -- successful bloggers are just one proof of this --but it does help to give credibility and open doors. So, I'm wondering how I choose among these career paths, but, more fundamentally, how to choose between these two impulses, which are like a split personality: the bohemian, non-stuff-embracing, traveling me and the overachiever, change-the-world, ego-motivated me. What do you do when your lifestyle goals conflict with each other? How do you reconcile them? How do you evaluate them? Cal —

I’ve been reading your blog avidly — great stuff!

I think the lifestyle design idea is phenomenal. I’m at a crossroads and deciding what to do next with my life. I started college late and recently graduated from an Ivy League university in the US. I am considering several career paths and have done your design exercise for all of them. My issue is that I am torn between two things: 1) a “bohemian” type lifestyle in which I travel the world cheaply, learn languages, and spend a lot of time exploring other cultures 2) an “overachiever” type lifestyle in which I use my fancy Ivy education and job offer from a famous consulting firm to get ahead.

I don’t really care that much about material possessions (the big house, car, etc.), but I do like to have an impact on the world, and want to have the credentials and experience that will make people take me seriously.

I have grad school admission to a top business school (I did some business things before college) and am also considering law school. I want to have an impact, and all of the people I know who do this are “in the system”. I know that you don’t need fancy degrees to do so — successful bloggers are just one proof of this –but it does help to give credibility and open doors.

So, I’m wondering how I choose among these career paths, but, more fundamentally, how to choose between these two impulses, which are like a split personality: the bohemian, non-stuff-embracing, traveling me and the overachiever, change-the-world, ego-motivated me.

What do you do when your lifestyle goals conflict with each other? How do you reconcile them? How do you evaluate them?

]]> By: Study Hacks » Blog Archive » How to Go From College to an Extraordinary Life (and Bank Account) http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8411 Study Hacks » Blog Archive » How to Go From College to an Extraordinary Life (and Bank Account) Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:17:18 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8411 [...] path is a great example of lifestyle-centric planning. He knew what he wanted his life to be like — flexible, financially sound, engaging, based in [...] […] path is a great example of lifestyle-centric planning. He knew what he wanted his life to be like — flexible, financially sound, engaging, based in […]

]]> By: links for 2009-03-04 « memor.ia blog http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8232 links for 2009-03-04 « memor.ia blog Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:01:22 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8232 [...] Study Hacks » Blog Archive » The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard (tags: toread) [...] […] Study Hacks » Blog Archive » The Most Important Piece of Career Advice You Probably Never Heard (tags: toread) […]

]]> By: Year One in Review » Lone Gunman http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8181 Year One in Review » Lone Gunman Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:14:06 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-8181 [...] it’s not always best or possible to think about what to do for a living, and instead to look at your ideal lifestyle and reverse engineer your life around that [...] […] it’s not always best or possible to think about what to do for a living, and instead to look at your ideal lifestyle and reverse engineer your life around that […]

]]> By: Brian M http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-7315 Brian M Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:41:01 +0000 http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/21/the-most-important-piece-of-career-advice-you-probably-never-heard/#comment-7315 I only partially agree. For me, finding a well paying job is only secondary to actually working doing what I enjoy. The combination of the two is awesome. I only partially agree. For me, finding a well paying job is only secondary to actually working doing what I enjoy. The combination of the two is awesome.

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