Previous Next

In Chapter 11, Grant uses the skills of rethinking to reframe the way people approach their careers and life plans. The danger of having life plans, says Grant, is that they can encourage tunnel vision. When a plan isn’t working out, people shouldn’t simply sink more resources into it. Instead, they should consider pivoting. Escalating commitment to a goal despite having reservations, he argues, eliminates the opportunity for change. He encourages readers to challenge the conventional wisdom that grit always pays off. In order to discourage stagnancy, Grant suggests that instead of asking kids what they want to be when they grow up, people should ask them what they like to do. Thinking of careers as actions to take rather than as identities to claim can inspire open-mindedness and exploration. Grant suggests people make a twice-yearly appointment with themselves to do a career checkup. This is a chance to ask key questions such as whether anything has changed since they decided on their current career path and whether they have reached a learning plateau. He believes that answering these questions will help people stay curious enough to discover new possibilities.

Read an important quote about accepting flux as a part of life.

When rethinking a career path, Grant suggests, it helps to think like a scientist, using observation, hypotheses, and experimentation. Observing what an admired individual does at work is a good place to start. A second step is to develop hypotheses about how new paths might align with one’s own interests, skills, and values. A third step is to run experiments: do informational interviews, job shadowing, and sample projects to get a taste of the work. The goal is to expand possibilities rather than confirm a particular plan. It’s also possible for a person to rethink the job they are currently doing, Grant points out, crafting an existing role into something more meaningful. Rethinking is not just helpful when it comes to career paths, he suggests, but also when it comes to relationships. He cites evidence that doing an annual relationship health checkup improves satisfaction in married couples.

Read more about Main Idea #4: Why scientific thinking is crucial for rethinking.

Grant cautions against pursuing happiness as an end goal. In the hunt for happiness, he says, people often forget about pursuing purpose, but evidence suggests that those who seek joy in their work are more likely to quit their jobs than those who look for purpose. The individual pursuit of happiness can create a sense of loneliness, Grant notes, but those who live in more collectivistic cultures tend to find happiness more rewarding because it involves social engagement rather than solo activities. Grant advises that instead of looking for happiness in their work, people should look for meaning. Passions often develop after individuals put time and effort into a project, rather than vice versa. Grant has come to see happiness less as a goal and more as a by-product of mastery and meaning. He concludes that the simplest way for someone to start rethinking their options is to question what they do daily. Rethinking in this way not only liberates them from their past selves but is a tool for leading a more fulfilling life.

Previous section Part 3: Chapters 8-10 Next section Epilogue

Take a Study Break