Cal Newport

How do people reach elite levels in their careers? How do people find life's work that is meaningful — and sustainable?

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Thoughtful and often contrarian, computer scientist Dr. Cal Newport answers those questions with combination of case studies and actionable advice for today's workforce. He proves why — for the majority of people — "follow your passion" is bad advice, why most serious professionals should avoid social media, and he offers "a wealth of concrete practices for the ambitious" (Wall Street Journal) to cultivate meaningful career skills and a "deep work" habit.

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In his most recent book, A World Without Email, Cal proposes a bold vision for liberating workers from the tyranny of the inbox and unleashing a new era of productivity. Drawing on case studies from innovative contemporary companies as well as those that thrived in the age before email, he lays out a series of principles for overhauling how you or your organization operate, providing concrete instruction for shifting your efforts away from constant communication and toward more structured approaches to producing valuable output.

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In Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, Newport proposes a bold solution: a minimalist approach to technology use by reducing the time you spend online. It is an indispensable guide for anyone looking to reclaim their life from the diversions of the digital world. In Deep Work, Newport argues that the ability to focus without distraction is a superpower in the multi-tasking, internet-obsessed 21st century economy. His book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You argued for the development of skills and craftsmanship rather than relying on "passion" as a career compass. It was named to numerous "best business books of the year" lists, including Inc. Magazine, The Globe and Mail, and 800-CEO-Read, and the corresponding New York Times Op-Ed was the paper’s most e-mailed article for over a week.

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Newport regularly explores themes of work excellence and productivity for on his popular blog, Study Hacks and in his series for students How to Be a High School Superstar, How to Become a Straight-A Student, and How to Win at College.

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Cal Newport is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Georgetown University, specializing in the theory of distributed algorithms. He earned his Ph.D. from MIT in 2009.

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