Listeners! Today we’ll be mixing up the recent Q & A format to bring you a conversation about what we learned from reading Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport.
This serves as a more personal sequel to episode 100 of the podcast, where I got the chance to interview Cal Newport himself about the concept of deep work and why it’s so important in the internet age.
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The main argument of Deep Work is this: we live in a time where it’s getting harder and harder to focus at precisely the same time that society needs more and more people to be able to focus deeply on hard problems.
This counterintuitive mix means that if you can master the art of focus, you’ll have an advantage in the new economy.
Luckily, Cal doesn’t stop with theory — he goes on to detail several strategies for building a lifestyle centered around the concept of working deeply and tapping into your potential.
If you’d like to pick up a copy for yourself, you can support College Info Geek by using the link above!
Things mentioned in this episode:
- Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, by Cal Newport
- Deep Work: How to Focus and Resist Distractions (Ep. 100)
- Why “Follow Your Passion” Is Bad Advice With Cal Newport (Ep. 35)
- So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love, by Cal Newport
- FiveThirtyEight
- How to Be Lazy and Still Get a Ton of Work Done
- Neal Stephenson books
- Neal Stephenson — Why I Am a Bad Correspondent
- Cold Turkey
- Cold Turkey Writer
- Cold Turkey Writer: An App that Forces You to Write by Blocking All Distractions
- The 33 Strategies of War, by Robert Greene
- Beeminder
- Finish Up Weekend
- Startup Weekend
- Treehouse
- Lynda.com
- Beats Studio Wireless Headphones
- Bose QC 35 Wireless Headphones
- Essential Books for Students
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
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