《Deep Work》

Cal Newport

Chapter 1: Deep Work Is Valuable

• The first are micro in scope and focus on the personality traits and tactics that helped drive this trio’s rise
• The second type of answers are more macro in that they focus less on the individuals and more on the type of work they represent.
• Our technologies are racing ahead but many of our skills and organizations are lagging behind.” For many workers, this lag predicts bad news. As intelligent machines improve,and the gap between machine and human abilities shrinks, employers are becoming increasingly likely to hire “new machines” instead of “new people.” And when only a human will do, improvements in communications and collaboration technology are making remote work easier than ever before, motivating companies to outsource key roles to stars—leaving the local talent pool underemployed.
• This Great Restructuring is not driving down all jobs but is instead dividing them.
• Therefore, if you’re in a marketplace where the consumer has access to all performers, and everyone’s q value is clear, the consumer will choose the very best. Even if the talent advantage of the best is small compared to the next rung down on the skill ladder, the superstars still win the bulk of the market.
• Therefore, if you’re in a marketplace where the consumer has access to all performers, and everyone’s q value is clear, the consumer will choose the very best. Even if the talent advantage of the best is small compared to the next rung down on the skill ladder, the superstars still win the bulk of the market.
• Two Core Abilities for Thriving in the New Economy:
  (1) The ability to quickly master hard things. (And because these technologies change rapidly, this process of mastering hard things never ends: You must be able to do it quickly, again and again.)
  (2) The ability to produce at an elite level, in terms of both quality and speed.
• This brings us to the question of what deliberate practice actually requires. Its core components are usually identified as follows: (1) your attention is focused tightly on a specific skill you’re trying to improve or an idea you’re trying to master; (2) you receive feedback so you can correct your approach to keep your attention exactly where it’s most productive.
• Deep work is not the only skill valuable in our economy, and it’s possible to do well without fostering this ability, but the niches where this is advisable are increasingly rare.