Top 10 Struggles of Modern Day Mastery

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Mastery is so darn tough. It's what we strive for in our Alluviance community: to master the craft of sales. And yet the odds are stacked against us more so than at any previous time in history.

This week we're diving into the unique challenges that today's rising leaders face as they aspire to mastery. And next week, we'll discuss some of the strategies, tactics and solutions we use to address these struggles.

We're going to break down these Top 10 Struggles in order that we see them come up for leaders and sales professionals in our immersions, communities, and sales calls. Let's dive in...

10. Fear of failure - The path to mastery is littered with failures. With our lives on display via social media, failure feels more public and more daunting. This fear can prevent talented individuals from taking the risks necessary for true breakthroughs.

9. Discomfort with impatience - Mastery demands patience, a trait that’s not exactly glamorous or widely celebrated in our fast-paced world. We’re conditioned to expect quick results, but some things can’t be rushed.

8. Shrinking attention spans - Thanks to the constant bombardment of information and entertainment, our ability to focus is dwindling. "He has the attention span of a goldfish." This isn’t just an annoyance. It’s a serious barrier to engaging deeply with complex subjects or skills.

7. Vanishing mentorships - Gone are the days when you could spend years under the tutelage of a master, slowly absorbing their skills. Today, formal education and changing workplace environments often skip the deep mentorship that’s crucial for achieving mastery.

6. Multitasking hysteria - Modern jobs and even our daily routines demand that we juggle multiple tasks at once. But true mastery requires undivided focus, something that multitasking strips away, reducing both the quality and effectiveness of our learning.

5. The deep work deficit - Our society often rewards breadth over depth. Knowing a little about a lot can seem more advantageous than knowing a lot about a little. This can deter people from dedicating the necessary time to truly master anything.

4. Economic pressure - Let’s face it, spending years perfecting a craft is a luxury when money is at stake. In a sales world dominated by quotas, metrics, and data, it's often difficult to find or justify the time required for the long game activities.

3. Instant gratification culture - We live in a world of next-day deliveries and binge-watching TV series. Patience is a rare commodity, and unfortunately, there’s no “fast track” button for mastering complex skills. The slow, repetitive grind necessary for mastery is at odds with the pace of modern life.

2. Information overload - Our era is flooded with information as almost all knowledge from all of human history is available to us in seconds. This abundance is a double-edged sword though. While knowledge is power, too much of it can paralyze us, making it hard to focus deeply on mastering one thing at a time.

1. Tech distractions - Our devices buzz, blink, and beg for attention, hacking our dopamine receptors and disrupting those crucial stretches of deep work essential for mastery. Every ping is a potential rabbit hole pulling us away from our craft.

I know. That's a pretty daunting list when it comes to what we face when we strive for mastery. A couple of these hit home pretty hard for me too. But that's the game. That's our work to do in aspiring for greatness.

All of the glorious and wonderful benefits of modern life also take a heavy toll on the path to mastery. While the journey to mastery is more complex now, it is also more accessible to those who are willing to tune out the noise and focus on their path. And that's where we'll pick up next week!

1. The Rising Leader Podcast:

Embracing Valuable Lessons from a Lifetime of Mentors with Dr. Arnie Kremer

Today’s very special guest is Alex’s dad and founder of Del Mar Integrative Medicine, Dr. Arnold Kremer! Dr. Kremer shares his journey of mentorship, personal growth, and the importance of staying true to one's vision.Alex and his dad discuss the power of asking the right questions and truly listening to the answers. Dr. Kremer’s wisdom from his days as a hippie, an emergency room physician, and a motivational speaker offers a refreshing perspective on leadership and life. Tune in to hear compelling stories about guidance, the pursuit of passion, and how adapting to change can lead to profound personal and professional growth!

Find it on Spotify , Apple Podcast and Youtube .

2. Featured LinkedIn Post:

"Taking it to the next level"

Here’s why you have a responsibility to learn how to sell??

[Continue reading ]

3. Quote to fuel your Alluviance:

"If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all." – Michelangelo

Excited for next week's newsletter as we break down the best ways to overcome the struggles of modern mastery.

With Alluviance,

Alex Kremer