In 'Deep Work', Cal Newport argues that the ability to perform deep work—professional activities in a state of distraction-free concentration—is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains why deep work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, while the second part presents four rules to transform your mind and habits to support this skill. These rules include 'Work Deeply', 'Embrace Boredom', 'Quit Social Media', and 'Drain the Shallows'. Newport provides actionable advice and examples from various successful individuals to help readers master the skill of deep work and achieve groundbreaking results.
In 'Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life', Steve Martin provides a detailed and candid account of his journey from his childhood to his rise as a stand-up comedian. The book delves into his early jobs at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, his development as a magician and comedian, and the struggles and successes he faced in his career. Martin also explores his strained relationship with his family, particularly his father, and how he eventually reconnected with them. The memoir highlights the dedication, discipline, and originality that defined his career and explains why he chose to leave stand-up comedy in 1981 to pursue other creative ventures. The book includes photographs and offers a unique insight into the life of one of the most iconic comedians of his time.
In this book, Cal Newport challenges the conventional wisdom that following one's passion is the key to career happiness. Instead, he argues that passion often follows mastery and that developing valuable skills and expertise is essential for creating work you love. Newport presents four rules: Don't follow your passion, Be so good they can't ignore you, Turn down a promotion, and Think small, act big. He supports his arguments with case studies from various professionals who have found satisfaction in their careers through hard work and skill development.
In 'Digital Minimalism', Cal Newport argues that we need to be more intentional about the technologies we allow into our lives. He proposes a philosophy of digital minimalism, where individuals focus their online time on activities that strongly support their values and ignore the rest. The book highlights the negative effects of behavioral addictions created by technology, such as solitude deprivation and the fleeting nature of social media satisfaction. Newport suggests a 30-day 'digital declutter' process and other practices to help readers integrate digital minimalism into their lives, emphasizing the importance of optimizing technology use to support personal goals and values[2][3][5].
In 'A World Without Email', Cal Newport argues that the constant digital communication, which he terms the 'hyperactive hive mind', has become a productivity disaster. He contends that this workflow, driven by email and other messaging tools, reduces profitability, slows economic growth, and makes workers miserable. Newport proposes a workplace where clear processes, not haphazard messaging, define task management. He advocates for each person working on fewer tasks but doing them better, with significant investment in support to reduce administrative burdens. The book lays out principles and concrete instructions for streamlining important communication and reducing the central role of inboxes and chat channels in the workplace.
A book about time management and how to live a more fulfilling life.
Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.
Video from today’s episode: tinyurl.com/b2rkctfj
CORE IDEA: Deep Work [5:10]
DEEP WORK QUESTIONS:
- How much should I care about promoting my work? [28:07]
- When do you write your weekly plan? [33:22]
- What does Cal think about digital notebooks? [34:00]
- Why is everyone so bad at email? [36:45]
- What is Cal’s advice for a distracted high school student? [40:02]
DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS:
- Does disconnection improve creativity? [50:57]
- How do I teach my kids to focus? [57:52]
- How do I get my students off their phones? [1:02:20]
- What does Cal think about the book “Four-Thousand Weeks”? [1:05:21]
Thanks to our Sponsors:
My Body Tutor: MyBodyTutor.com: Mention “Deep Questions” for $50 off 1st month
Athletic Greens: Athleticgreens.com/deep
Stamps.com: Stamps.com - Use promo code “Deep”
Grammarly: Grammarly.com/Deep
Thanks to Jesse Miller for production, Jay Kerstens for the intro music, and Mark Miles for mastering.
Deep Questions with Cal Newport 
