Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Ep. 117: Should I Quit My Job to Become a Writer?

Aug 2, 2021

Explore the balancing act for working mothers seeking personal time and productivity hacks. Dive into crafting a professional mindset for aspiring writers and the importance of evaluating creative projects through monetary feedback. Discover strategies to navigate uncertainty in goal setting and the role of digital minimalism in enhancing well-being. Finally, gain insights on aligning work with personal values to overcome chaos and achieve meaningful progress in challenging circumstances.

01:20:26

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Highlights

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Episode notes

Is It Possible To Rebuild The Kernel Of Your Operating System?

00:51

What Is The Value Of Your Work?

00:57

The Content of the Work Matters

00:53

Intro

2min

Balancing Act: Strategies for Working Mothers

26min

Crafting a Professional Mindset for Writing

10min

Monetary Value and Creative Growth

14min

Taming Chaos: Finding Clarity in Uncertainty

28min

Below are the questions covered in today's episode (with their timestamps). For instructions on submitting your own questions, go to calnewport.com/podcast.

DEEP WORK QUESTIONS

- How do I find free time as a working mother? [2:10]
- How do I time block unpredictable support tasks? [13:56]
- How many items are on my (Cal's) task lists and how often do I review? [18:51]
- How do I stay productive without clear deadlines? [27:09]
- How do get started writing? [32:33]
- How do I know if an idea is good? [37:56]

DEEP LIFE QUESTIONS

- How do I integrate uncertainty into my goal setting? [43:01]
- How should I configure my smartphone notifications? (Rant Alert) [52:18]
- Should I quit my design job to become a writer? (Rant Alert #2) [57:50]
- How do I make progress on meaningful goals in difficult circumstances? [1:09:37]

Thanks to Jay Kerstens for the intro music and Mark Miles for mastering.