The Truth About "Mastery"

Mastery is something that we all strive for.

Yet, in the same stroke, it is something few people achieve.

There are a LOT of people that are terrible at what they do.

Some who are decent.

A number that are good.

Only a few who have truly achieved Mastery.

Why is that?

What Is Mastery?

The first thing to realize is that Mastery is not a destination.

Most people think that "one day" they will achieve some mystical experience that indicates their "Mastery".

If this is what you believe, one of two things will happen

➼ You'll never believe you have reached this state

OR

➼ You'll reach it, then quickly lose it.

This is because "Mastery" is not a destination - it is an infinite process.

So, how do we get to "Mastery" then?

How To Get To Mastery

In order to get to Mastery, there are 4 components that everyone must follow.

➼ Learning

Of course, the first thing that you must do is understand the basic principles that underlie anything.

This becomes the base of knowledge that allows you to eventually build off of.

➼ Discipline

Next, you need to utilize discipline (for a short period of time) as you get your body and mind used to doing the activity.

Sometimes this discipline is needed for a short period of time, around 30 days.

Other disciplines will require much longer, such as 6 months.

The average is 66 days straight for most things though.

➼ Habit

This is the turning point where something has become so normalized in your mind and body that it no longer requires discipline to do.

However, just because you have gotten a habit does not mean you have achieved "Mastery".

It just means it is easier to do than it is not to do anymore.

The habit portion is why it is important to do something toward whatever you are trying to master EVERY day.

It doesn't have to be a LOT, but the consistency makes it easier to form it into a lasting habit.

➼ Mastery

Now, this is where you take the process you've been developing, and you start to really have fun with it.

Mastery is more than a Habit, it's a continuous iteration on what you already know.

It is about being amazing at something, and then adding creativity and novelty to the process.

What if I do it this way?

What if I come at a problem from this angle instead?

What if I change this tiny aspect?

By adding creativity and novelty to the process, you begin to understand aspects far deeper than others conceive.

You unlearn certain aspects that may be holding you back, and you relearn in fresh ways that sometimes no one has ever thought about before.

It becomes an art, it drives you into deeper Flow States, the "Doing" becomes the best part of the entire process.

It is an infinite playground on which to play and discover new aspects of what you now love.

Where Most Go Wrong

This is also why most people never achieve mastery.

They often have missed a part of this cycle.

It could be that they haven't gotten a strong enough learning base to really understand what should be turned into a habit.

They may not have kept enough discipline in their lives before giving up the process.

Many people get trapped in the habit, thinking they have to do the exact same thing, over and over again, into cyclical oblivion.

This is the famous "10,000 Hour Rule" that has been debunked.

This leads them to becoming bored and never getting to the depths of understanding to achieve Mastery.

They stop before the fun part!

They stop getting into Flow states because they are no longer challenged, because "Habits" by definition are easy to do.

It simply becomes an action that "has" to be done.

No one likes doing things because they "have" to.

Their psychology around whatever they are doing begins to think that there needs to be some magical thing out there to get them excited again.

Then, they chase the "next" thing, never understanding that if they went just a "tiny" bit further, they would attain the Mastery they have been seeking the entire time.