Pursue the ignored path

tags:: #a/statement #source/newsletter Purpose on/working
author:: David Perell

So, I hear you’re looking for an invigorating job. You want to do work you’re passionate about and get paid well to do it. You yearn for success, but don’t know how to channel your creative energy.

Following your passion is a decent place to begin, but you’re going to need more than that. Every aspiring Hollywood actor is passionate, but only a few ever get paid enough to cover their rent because so many people dream of seeing their faces on the big screen. The desire to star in movies and TV shows isn’t what’s scarce. The market for actors is oversaturated, and so much of the time, success comes to luck and personal connections.

Success is easier when you pursue things other people are ignoring. To do that, you need to get off the default path. Though there’s less explicit direction along the independent route, it unlocks far more opportunity because there’s so much less competition.