It’s easy to look at a successful entrepreneur and think, They must have found their passion early and followed it relentlessly. That’s the myth we’re sold. But real success often looks a lot messier. It’s a story of failures, recalibrations, and grinding through the mundane to hone rare and valuable skills. For me, that journey started nearly two decades ago, with a blurry vision and a lot of trial and error. Back then, I thought I needed to find my calling. Today, I know the real key was developing the habits, skills, and systems that made me who I am today.

Now, I wake up feeling sharper and more in tune than I ever did in my twenties. The clarity didn’t come from a single epiphany. It came from consistently improving in small, deliberate ways. That’s the kind of transformative approach Cal Newport and Ali Abdaal explore in their books So Good They Can’t Ignore You and Feel-Good Productivity.

These books aren’t just for entrepreneurs. They’re for anyone looking to master their craft while staying energized and fulfilled. Newport argues against the “follow your passion” mantra, and advocates for a “craftsmanship mindset” focused on skill mastery. Abdaal complements this with a system for aligning productivity with well-being. Together, they provide a roadmap for relentless self-improvement, grounded in both science and practicality.

Cal Newport challenges the cultural obsession with passion. Instead of looking inward and waiting for inspiration to strike, he tells us to look outward. Find what the world values, then work relentlessly to become exceptional at delivering it. This is the craftsmanship mindset. A commitment to honing rare and valuable skills that make you indispensable.

Psychological studies show that passion often follows mastery, not the other way around. A study published in the Journal of Research in Personality found that people who invest time and effort into developing expertise often report greater job satisfaction and passion over time. Newport aligns with this, arguing that by focusing on building competence, you naturally cultivate the passion you once sought.

Think about it: when you’re skilled at something, people notice. Opportunities multiply. Confidence grows. That’s the real reward. Not the fleeting excitement of a “dream job,” but the deep fulfilment that comes from being irreplaceable.

Becoming Irreplaceable: Where to Start?

1. Identify Your Core Skills: What is the one skill that, if mastered, would most significantly improve your career or business? For me, it was learning how to lead effectively. Listening to my team, setting clear goals, and fostering a culture of growth.
2. Commit to Deliberate Practice: Psychologist Anders Ericsson coined the term deliberate practice to describe focused, goal-oriented improvement. This isn’t about mindless repetition. It’s about pushing the boundaries of your current ability, analyzing what’s not working, and refining it.
3. Seek Feedback Relentlessly: One of Newport’s key insights is the importance of seeking and integrating feedback. Don’t just ask for compliments. Ask where you fell short. Constructive feedback keeps you grounded and continuously improving.

If Newport is the rigorous craftsman, Ali Abdaal is the joyful architect. In Feel-Good Productivity, Abdaal dismantles the “grind culture” narrative, showing that productivity isn’t about cramming as much as possible into your day. It’s about doing meaningful work in a way that energizes you rather than drains you.

Traditional productivity frameworks focus on efficiency. How much can you do in a given amount of time? Abdaal flips the script, asking, How do you feel while doing it? Studies in positive psychology, like those from Martin Seligman, reinforce this idea: when people experience positive emotions during their work, they’re more engaged, creative, and resilient.

For me, this shift in perception was a extremely helpful. I realised that being productive didn’t mean working 15-hour days. It meant aligning my work with my values. Creating systems that reduced stress, and making space for reflection and joy.

Here are some strategies for sustainable success

1. Start with a North Star: Your North Star is the ultimate goal that guides everything else. Abdaal argues that having a clear “why” behind your work makes even the most mundane tasks feel purposeful. For entrepreneurs, this might mean building a business that provides financial freedom or impacts your community.
2. Design Energy-Boosting Habits: Abdaal highlights the importance of rituals. Simple habits like starting your day with 10 minutes of journaling or a walk can shift your mindset and prime you for success.
3. Reflect and Refine: Weekly reflections are a cornerstone of feel-good productivity. Ask yourself: What went well? What drained me? What can I change next week? Reflection not only boosts self-awareness but also helps you stay aligned with your goals.

Habits are your life raft when the waves get rough. During a market downturn, a health scare, or a personal crisis, the routines you’ve built are what keep you afloat. They’re not just about getting through the day. They’re about maintaining a sense of control and purpose when everything else feels uncertain.

From a psychological perspective, habits reduce cognitive load. Research published in Behavioral Science & Policyreveals that habits act as mental shortcuts, automating repetitive actions and freeing your mind for more complex decisions. This is particularly crucial during stressful periods, when decision fatigue can leave you paralyzed. By relying on established habits, you conserve mental energy for navigating uncertainty.

During a particularly difficult period of my career, I developed a simple habit: ending every workday by writing down one positive outcome and one lesson learned. It started as an experiment to combat the stress of setbacks and uncertainty. Over time, this ritual shifted my mindset. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, I began focusing on growth and progress. Even when things felt stagnant.

For teams, habits play a similar role. Small rituals, like starting each week with a “win round,” where everyone shares a recent success, can foster positivity and alignment. These shared practices remind every one of their collective purpose, even during challenging times.

And then there’s the habit stack I’ve cultivated over the years. A collection of small, intentional actions that, at one time, seemed impossible. From diet and supplementation to workout routines and productivity systems, these habits didn’t appear overnight. They were built step by step, often with setbacks. Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of maintaining this level of consistency. But each habit built on the last, creating a structure that now feels like second nature.

The takeaway? Habits are your foundation when the ground beneath you feels unsteady. They’re not about perfection. They’re about consistency. And over time, they turn chaos into clarity. You can read more about it here.

Here’s where Newport and Abdaal converge: habits aren’t just things you do. They’re reflections of the person you’re becoming. Each small action you take reinforces a narrative about who you are.

Psychological theories like Symbolic Interactionism shed light on this phenomenon. This theory posits that identity is shaped through interactions. Both with others and with ourselves. Every time you complete a habit, you’re essentially “interacting” with your self-concept. When you get up early to exercise, you’re telling yourself, “I’m someone who values health.” When you write every morning, you reinforce, “I’m a writer.”

This idea resonates deeply with me. The habits I’ve developed didn’t just improve my productivity or well-being. They reshaped how I saw myself. I went from someone struggling to keep up with the chaos to someone who thrives in structure. And it wasn’t one big moment of change. It was a series of small, deliberate steps.

For entrepreneurs, this identity shift is transformative. You’re not just building a business. You’re building yourself as a leader, a visionary, and a strategist. The small habits you cultivate today aren’t just actions. They’re declarations of who you want to become.

The evolution is slow and often invisible. There were countless mornings when I didn’t feel like sticking to my routines. But those were the moments that mattered most. Because every time I chose to act, even when it was inconvenient or uncomfortable, I strengthened the belief that I was capable of following through.

And that belief spills over into everything else. It’s why habits are so much more than tools for productivity. They’re the building blocks of resilience, identity, and growth. They remind you, in the smallest, quietest ways, that you’re capable of becoming the person you aspire to be.

If someone had told me years ago that I’d one day wake up with a finely tuned habit stack: dialed-in routines for fitness, nutrition, work, and reflection – I would have laughed. Back then, I was just trying to survive the chaos. But starting small, building one habit at a time, changed everything.

None of this happened without setbacks. There were weeks when I skipped workouts or abandoned writing altogether. But I always came back. That’s the key: not perfection, but persistence. Over time, those habits became a system. A foundation that now supports everything I do.

It’s this system that enables me to handle challenges with confidence. It’s what allows me to build my business and show up as the best version of myself. And it all started with small, seemingly insignificant steps.

So if you’re standing at the beginning of your own habit journey, unsure where to start, take heart. The process isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Because those small actions today? They’re shaping who you’ll become tomorrow.

Lets take a look at practical applications on how to transform yourself and your Team:

1. Combine Deliberate Practice with Reflection: Spend focused time improving one skill each week. Pair this with a weekly reflection to track progress and identify adjustments.
2. Create Shared Rituals for Your Team: Introduce habits that reinforce your company’s values. For example, start meetings with a “win of the week” to build positivity and momentum.
3. Anchor Habits to Identity: Frame habits as part of a larger identity. Instead of “I’m trying to network more,” say, “I’m becoming someone who builds strong connections.”
4. Celebrate Small Wins: Positive reinforcement strengthens habits. Whether it’s acknowledging your team’s milestones or treating yourself for sticking to a new habit, small celebrations go a long way.

Both So Good They Can’t Ignore You and Feel-Good Productivity remind us that success isn’t about chasing passion or grinding endlessly. It’s about mastery and joy. It’s about aligning your habits with your goals and values.

For me, this journey of relentless self-improvement has been far from linear. There were setbacks, moments of doubt, and plenty of days where progress felt invisible. But looking back, I see how the small steps –  the tiny habits – added up to something meaningful.

So, remember this: the big wins come from the small, consistent actions you take every day. Master your craft, align your productivity with your values, and you’ll not only succeed – you’ll thrive.

Takeaways

1. Skill Mastery Comes First: Focus on building rare and valuable skills that make you indispensable. Passion will follow.
2. Redefine Productivity: Align your work with your energy and values for long-term success.
3. Embrace Tiny Habits: Small, consistent actions lead to big, transformative results over time.
4. Anchor Habits to Identity: Let your habits reflect the person you want to become.
5. Celebrate the Process: Progress isn’t always dramatic, but every small win matters.