A Calling Requires Capacity, Inner Fire, and Economic Fuel
Jim Collins argues that potential is not a discovery that must happen early or follow a fixed career plan. Drawing on lives including Grace Hopper’s, he says people should look for the durable capacities they are “encoded” for, then find work that combines those capacities with inner motivation and enough economic support to sustain it. When careers are disrupted or the institutional setting no longer fits, Collins contends, the task may be to change the work’s “home,” not abandon the deeper pursuit.
Masters of Scale·Jul 23, 2026·9 min read
