I will check out the article you linked, John. And I can see music being one of your passions. In one of your posts (perhaps the one on which I commented), you linked a Youtube video by Ren (of whom I had never heard) and said it was the most creative thing to which you listened recently. It made me curious, so I clicked, and boy was it good. I listened to it two or three times and then to other songs by the same artist. Thank you for that!
One thing you did not mention is: _Why_ would one adopt an attitude of mastery? I think what’s really helpful in learning (or acquiring mastery) is that the learner have an emotional connection to the learning path that’s ahead. The learner has to connect the path to some area in his/her life that she is passionate about, and that passion can serve as a driver through the slog you have talked about. For example, we have five dimmer switches in our house, lined up in a row. It’s been a decade since their installation, and I still can’t remember which switch powers which light. Simply because it does not interest me. It used to aggravate my spouse, but appeasing him is not the kind of incentive that works for me. In the same time frame I have taught myself the art of plant-based cooking, DSLR photography, Spanish, plant identification and a few other things, simply because these skills connect to something that’s deeply important to me.
You appeal to the ordinary is analogous to a conversation that I am having with my publisher. I'm a leadership guy, and am preparing a revision of my first book, Circle of Impact, for an Africa audience. For the three years that we have been working on the book the title was Circle of Impact Africa. We have just now decided to name it, "You Have Everything That You Need." I believe this is a good starting point for mastery. It isn't just believing in yourself. It is believing at such a level that you are willing to take action. It is why I believe that "all leadership begins with personal initiative to create impact that makes a difference that matters." This is a starting point for mastery I am convinced. Thanks for taking the initiative to write "Ordinary Mastery."
I will check out the article you linked, John. And I can see music being one of your passions. In one of your posts (perhaps the one on which I commented), you linked a Youtube video by Ren (of whom I had never heard) and said it was the most creative thing to which you listened recently. It made me curious, so I clicked, and boy was it good. I listened to it two or three times and then to other songs by the same artist. Thank you for that!
One thing you did not mention is: _Why_ would one adopt an attitude of mastery? I think what’s really helpful in learning (or acquiring mastery) is that the learner have an emotional connection to the learning path that’s ahead. The learner has to connect the path to some area in his/her life that she is passionate about, and that passion can serve as a driver through the slog you have talked about. For example, we have five dimmer switches in our house, lined up in a row. It’s been a decade since their installation, and I still can’t remember which switch powers which light. Simply because it does not interest me. It used to aggravate my spouse, but appeasing him is not the kind of incentive that works for me. In the same time frame I have taught myself the art of plant-based cooking, DSLR photography, Spanish, plant identification and a few other things, simply because these skills connect to something that’s deeply important to me.
You appeal to the ordinary is analogous to a conversation that I am having with my publisher. I'm a leadership guy, and am preparing a revision of my first book, Circle of Impact, for an Africa audience. For the three years that we have been working on the book the title was Circle of Impact Africa. We have just now decided to name it, "You Have Everything That You Need." I believe this is a good starting point for mastery. It isn't just believing in yourself. It is believing at such a level that you are willing to take action. It is why I believe that "all leadership begins with personal initiative to create impact that makes a difference that matters." This is a starting point for mastery I am convinced. Thanks for taking the initiative to write "Ordinary Mastery."