It's not about you.

The sentence leaped out at me from Daniel Pink's new book, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need.

Mr. Pink earned critical acclaim for his earlier books, A Whole New Mind and Free Agent Nation, books describing the need for left-brain thinking and self-responsibility in career management.

To Pink fans looking for a deep and serious tome, Johnny Bunko will be a surprise. It's a squat little comic book, illustrated by Rob Ten Pas in the Japanese manga drawing style.

It features Johnny Bunko, who became an accountant because his father and career advisers told him to pick a useful career. But Johnny didn't much like accounting, and he wasn't very good at it. In fact, bunko became his company's code word for a foul-up.

Johnny learns that he needs to play to his strengths (creativity and visual thinking) instead of stressing about his weaknesses (accounting). He learns that persistence wins out over raw talent, and that it's OK to make mistakes as long as they're "good" ones that advance knowledge or understanding.

He also was counseled that everyone should hope to do something worthwhile enough to "leave an imprint" after they've left that work.

But it was the "it's not about you" point that may have the most widespread value for others who struggle to succeed in their jobs or careers.

Here's how Mr. Pink's character says it:

"Of course, you matter. But the most successful people improve their own lives by improving others' lives. They help their customer solve its problem. They give their client something it didn't know it was missing. ...

"The most valuable people in any job bring out the best in others."

Bunko advice

Six core lessons from Johnny Bunko for finding, keeping and flourishing in satisfying work:

•There is no plan.

•Forget about your weaknesses.

•Persistence trumps talent.

•It's not about you.

•Make excellent mistakes.

•Leave an imprint.

Penguin Group