Linchpin

I genuinely had no idea what I wanted to do with my career.

That's where Seth Godin's Linchpin made me feel comfortable with not having my life completely mapped out.

One of the book's core ideas is that if your work depends on following instructions, there will always be someone willing to do it faster and cheaper.

Godin urges people not to become just another cog in the machine.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is his explanation of the "lizard brain" — the part of us that wants to stay safe and avoid risk — versus the creative side of the brain that wants to make art, contribute, and create meaningful work.

The book challenged me to stop thinking about passion as something you simply "find," and instead bring passion and creativity into whatever work you do.