Mastery by George Leonard
??Week 16: Mastery by George Leonard ??
This book explains the steps and pitfalls of what it takes to achieve mastery of something you enjoy.?
Our current society works in many ways to lead us astray but the path of Mastery is always there - waiting for us.
Mastery isn't reserved for the super-talented or even for those who are fortunate enough to have gotten an early start.? It's available to anyone who is willing to get on the path and stay on it.
We're bombarded with messages of immediate gratification, instant success and fast, temporary relief - all of which lead us exactly in the wrong direction.
You will eventually reach a point where you end up on a plateau. The plateau can be a form of purgatory.? It triggers disowned emotions and flushes out our hidden motivations.
You will spend plenty of time on the plateau. Long hours of diligent practice that gain you no apparent progress at all.
This is the inexorable fact of the journey: you have to be willing to spend most of your time on a plateau. To keep practicing even when you seem to be getting nowhere.
You practice for the sake of the practice itself, appreciate and enjoy it just as much as you do the upward surges.
Three types of people:
The Dabbler - Approaches each new thing with enormous enthusiasm.? When the initial progress starts to cool they start looking around for something else, because Mastery will mean changing themselves or who they are.
The Obsessive - He or she knows results are what counts.? Won't accept the plateau and will try and break through by doubling their efforts.? They live for the upward surge.
The Hacker - He or she is willing to stay on the plateau indefinitely, often skipping stages essential to the development of Mastery.?
Our hyped-up consumerist society is engaged in an all-out war on Mastery.? We see this most plainly in our value system.? Our society demands a continuing high level of consumer spending. Every time we spend money,? we make a statement about what we value.
With instant celebrities, instant millionaires and bragging about being number one is the ruling entrepreneurial vision of America.
The quick-fix anti-Mastery mentality touches almost everything in our lives.
THE FIVE MASTER KEYS
KEY 1: Instruction
Always arrange for first-rate instruction. The self-taught person is on a chancy path.? The search for good instruction starts with a look at credentials and lineage. Who was your teacher's teacher?? Knowledge, experience, technical skill and credentials are important but without the patience and empathy that go with teaching beginners, these merits are useless.
KEY 2: Practice
Practice should be used as a noun,? not something you do, but something you have, something you are. Masters don't devote themselves to their particular skill just to get better at it.? The truth is they love to practise, and because of this they get better.
KEY 3: Surrender
The courage of a master is measured by his or her willingness to surrender.
Learning almost any significant skill involves certain indignities.? Satisfaction lies in mindful repetition, the discovery of endless richness in subtle variations on familiar themes.
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KEY 4:? Intentionality
Intentionality joins old words with new -? character, willpower, attitude and imagining the mental game.
KEY 5: The Edge
Masters are usually the ones likely to challenge previous limits and take risks for the sake of higher performance. Exploring the edges of the envelope.
TOOLS FOR MASTERY
Be aware of the way homeostasis works.? Expect resistance and backlash even from friends, family and coworkers.
Be willing to negotiate with your resistance to change.? The fine art of playing the edge involves the willingness to take one step back for every two forward, sometimes vice-versa.
Develop a support system. People who have gone through or are going through a similar process.?
Follow regular practice. You gain stability and comfort through practising on a more regular basis.
Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning. To learn is to change.?
GETTING ENERGY FROM MASTERY
PITFALLS ALONG THE WAY
Our preoccupation with goals, results, and quick fix has separated us from our own experiences.??
Summary: Well laid out summary of what it takes to master something, whether a hobby or a profession.?
1 Key Takeaway/Insight:? Expect resistance and backlash. To learn is to change.?
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Author:?George Leonard
Link to purchase:?https://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Keys-Success-Long-Term-Fulfillment/dp/0452267560
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?? I’m Ronan Leonard
?? Business Relations enthusiast
Connecting ?? People ??Ideas ?? Opportunities
???Connect with me, Hit the ?? button, follow the hashtag?#weeklybusinessbook?or say “tag me” in the ?? comments to be part of the journey.
Judy Musgrove ~ Freelance Writer ~ Blogger
1 年Interesting - maybe we should give this great book to the current leaders of our country - power and control are really going to be the decline - that isn’t to say there aren’t any good leaders among the many - but forgetting how to leave personal feelings at the door and really being in tune to the people they serve is key - I thank you for sharing
Consultant Service Provider
1 年Thank you again Ronan.
KPMG Partner enabling the movement of Talent across borders through Tax ?? 2022 Global Mobility Champion of the Year | Speaker | Leadership | Automation | Process Improvement | People and Culture Champion | Writer
1 年I'm loving these reviews Ronan! I think I would be closest to an Obsessive. I'm happy for progress and don't like stagnation. The concept off surrendering to the mastery is powerful. I like it.
Motivate ? Encourage ? Inspire - Give her a complex problem and she will help you solve it. And you will enjoy the process.
1 年Loved this book when it was first published, look forward to watching your review later