Weekly Pulse by William Meller | Week 26, 2023

The Weekly Pulse is my content curation and my highlights from readings, books, podcasts, insights, and everything I discovered during the week.
The Weekly Pulse is my content curation and my highlights from readings, books, podcasts, insights, and everything I discovered during the week.

So, let’s go with some discoveries from the week!

#1 – Why do High-IQ People Stagnate in Their Careers?
#2 – On the Slow Productivity of John Wick
#3 – The Craft is the End


Why do High-IQ People Stagnate in Their Careers?

Source: Big Think
Author: Kevin Dickinson

Summary: Success and intelligence don’t necessarily go hand in hand, and IQ may not even be the differentiating ability between star performers and everyone else. Emotional intelligence is another form of intelligence that may prove vital for success at work and in life. Emotional intelligence correlates with health, job satisfaction, performance in school, and life satisfaction. The article discusses Daniel Goleman’s five pillars of emotional intelligence and ways to cultivate and develop emotional intelligence.

Highlights:

“… In fact, despite popular perception, IQ may not even be the differentiating ability between star performers and everyone else. That difference may be found in another form of intelligence: emotional intelligence…”

“… One way to cultivate self-awareness is simply to create space for it in your day. That may include journaling, a mindfulness practice, or simply finding the time to sit with your thoughts and ask questions of yourself. To help you shine a light on your blind spots, ask trusted friends and loved ones for their honest opinion on matters where you may hold biases…”

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On the Slow Productivity of John Wick

Source: Cal Newport Blog
Author: Cal Newport

Summary: The article discusses how the success of the movie John Wick was the result of a single-minded focus on achieving excellence in action sequences. Director Chad Stahelski captured these sequences in long takes, which required Keanu Reeves to train extensively in martial arts and tactical shooting. This approach to productivity differs from the notion of busyness and multitasking often associated with office jobs. The article raises questions about whether this definition of productivity is the most profitable use of our talents.

Highlights:

“… In office jobs, by contrast, productivity remains rooted in notions of busyness and multi-faceted activity. The most productive knowledge workers are those who stay on top of their inboxes and somehow juggle the dozens of obligations, from the small tasks to major projects, hurled in their direction every week…”

“… Are we so sure that the definition of “productive” that defines knowledge work really is the most profitable use of our talents? John Wick may be shallow entertainment, but the story of its success highlights some deep lessons about what the rest of us might be missing in our pursuit of a job well done….”

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The Craft is the End

Source: Scott Young Blog
Author: Scott Young

Summary: The article discusses the philosophy of doing work for the sake of the craft itself and not for the desire for status or recognition. The author highlights the importance of transcending the constant need to be part of an inner circle or a select group that appears successful. Instead, he suggests that the antidote to this drive is to focus on the craft itself by setting higher standards for personal work than those set by an inner ring, leading to a more fulfilling and satisfying journey.

Highlights:

“… Lewis argues that the answer is a craft. If you care about your work—for its own sake—you can transcend the petty status-seeking that surrounds you...”

“… Instead, those who manage to get wholly absorbed in their craft do so because they have higher standards for their work than anyone else expects. Acclaim and fame fail to motivate because that’s too easy, not too hard. The improvement according to an internal sense of quality matters more than whether some inner ring agrees…”

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