4 ms·

I always find it frustrating to read materials from people like Cal Newport who somehow seem to have a wide open career path with many options and your main pro

I always find it frustrating to read materials from people like Cal Newport who somehow seem to have a wide open career path with many options and your main problem is to pick the best one. I think I am pretty good at my work but I was always already happy if I had just one decent option. Maybe (probably) I am not good enough or I am missing something else but reading a book like this doesn't help me. It simply doesn't reflect how life presents itself to me.

kashyapc 8y ago
Yeah, I hear you. FWIW, I'd much, much recommend the book by the Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's (or Mr. C): Flow -- the psychology of optimal experience. I'm reading it the second time on a physical copy (comparing my notes from 3 years ago, when I read it on the Kindle). It seems like Carl Newport and other "new age" writers in this area are largely repackaging (but with much less "signal") what Mr. C said, but set in "current times". But still, I find Mr. C's book much more timeless. Partly because he dedicated much of his entire life to understanding Flow in humans, and partly because the book is full of signal.
- BeetleB 8y ago
  To be fair, flow is in a sense the opposite of what Cal Newport often advocates. Flow occurs when you have expertise and have bouts of huge productivity. Cal focuses a lot more in acquiring that expertise, which involves quite the opposite. Long bouts of painfully low productivity as you struggle to advance your skills yet one notch higher.
  - maxxxxx 8y ago
    "Long bouts of painfully low productivity as you struggle to advance your skills yet one notch higher." But how do you know that the skills you are acquiring are actually the right ones unless you go into a tried and true career path?
  - kashyapc 8y ago
    Hmm, let's precisely define what Mr. C calls as flow (or "optimal state"), as mentioned in his book: The optimal state of inner experience is one in which there is order in consciousness. This happens when psychic energy—or attention—is invested in realistic goals, and when skills match the opportunities for action. Obviously, the book can't be reduced to a single definition, as Mr. C talks quite eloquently about the conditions in which flow occurs, etc. (E.g. The optimal state of inner experience is one in which there is order in consciousness. This happens when psychic energy—or attention—is invested in realistic goals, and when skills match the opportunities for action.)
shadowsun7 8y ago
You should probably read this: http://commoncog.com/blog/surprising-implications-of-self-help-as-art/ http://commoncog.com/blog/surprising-implications-of-self-he...
whack 8y ago
I've never heard of Cal before, and from looking at his Wikipedia page, he does seem academically successful. But he's neither achieved any "breakout" successes, nor does he have decades of experience to back up his advise. Which is not to say that his advice is bad. It's mostly a distillation of various psychology studies and research. For example, the whole thing about pursuing Mastery, Autonomy and Purpose, is copied wholesale from Drive, which is itself based on sound research findings. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6452796-drive https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6452796-drive
- cambalache 8y ago
  Yes, that has been my impression too. Not to slack the guy, who obviously is very smart and comes across as a nice person. Maybe it was the hype of the book but if you write a book about the paradigm changing results of deep work and how you have applying it all your life I would expect a little more impact from your work. He is basically known for this book, and a couple of other on how to get into college, not different from your garden-variety Ted-x talker. He has played the academic game well to be fair so if you are a just-hired assistant professor and want to be prepared for your tenure decision in 6 or so years you could do worse that heed his advice.

kashyapc 8y ago

Yeah, I hear you. FWIW, I'd much, much recommend the book by the Hungarian psychologist, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's (or Mr. C): Flow -- the psychology of optimal experience. I'm reading it the second time on a physical copy (comparing my notes from 3 years ago, when I read it on the Kindle). It seems like Carl Newport and other "new age" writers in this area are largely repackaging (but with much less "signal") what Mr. C said, but set in "current times". But still, I find Mr. C's book much more timeless. Partly because he dedicated much of his entire life to understanding Flow in humans, and partly because the book is full of signal.

BeetleB 8y ago
To be fair, flow is in a sense the opposite of what Cal Newport often advocates. Flow occurs when you have expertise and have bouts of huge productivity. Cal focuses a lot more in acquiring that expertise, which involves quite the opposite. Long bouts of painfully low productivity as you struggle to advance your skills yet one notch higher.
- maxxxxx 8y ago
  "Long bouts of painfully low productivity as you struggle to advance your skills yet one notch higher." But how do you know that the skills you are acquiring are actually the right ones unless you go into a tried and true career path?
- kashyapc 8y ago
  Hmm, let's precisely define what Mr. C calls as flow (or "optimal state"), as mentioned in his book: The optimal state of inner experience is one in which there is order in consciousness. This happens when psychic energy—or attention—is invested in realistic goals, and when skills match the opportunities for action. Obviously, the book can't be reduced to a single definition, as Mr. C talks quite eloquently about the conditions in which flow occurs, etc. (E.g. The optimal state of inner experience is one in which there is order in consciousness. This happens when psychic energy—or attention—is invested in realistic goals, and when skills match the opportunities for action.)

shadowsun7 8y ago

You should probably read this: http://commoncog.com/blog/surprising-implications-of-self-help-as-art/ http://commoncog.com/blog/surprising-implications-of-self-he...

whack 8y ago

I've never heard of Cal before, and from looking at his Wikipedia page, he does seem academically successful. But he's neither achieved any "breakout" successes, nor does he have decades of experience to back up his advise. Which is not to say that his advice is bad. It's mostly a distillation of various psychology studies and research. For example, the whole thing about pursuing Mastery, Autonomy and Purpose, is copied wholesale from Drive, which is itself based on sound research findings. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6452796-drive https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6452796-drive

cambalache 8y ago
Yes, that has been my impression too. Not to slack the guy, who obviously is very smart and comes across as a nice person. Maybe it was the hype of the book but if you write a book about the paradigm changing results of deep work and how you have applying it all your life I would expect a little more impact from your work. He is basically known for this book, and a couple of other on how to get into college, not different from your garden-variety Ted-x talker. He has played the academic game well to be fair so if you are a just-hired assistant professor and want to be prepared for your tenure decision in 6 or so years you could do worse that heed his advice.