Mastery

So the other day, while we were cooking, my wife says I’m the Jon Snow of the kitchen.

Now if you know Game of Thrones, you’ll know Jon Snow was the hero.

You’ll also know the phrase: "you know nothing, Jon Snow”.

So, not really a compliment…

My retort?

“You are the John Wick of the kitchen.”

Now this was a compliment - she is a true master in the kitchen…

Just like John Wick is a master at er, violent death.

What is mastery though? Why is it important?

How can you build mastery as a skill?

Get your coffee, let’s dive in.

What is Mastery?

Remember Bruce Lee?

Martial artist, actor, philosopher.

He didn't just learn to fight, he revolutionized martial arts.

He mastered the art of movement, precision, and self-improvement.

Bruce inspired millions around the world with his lessons.

He worked with relentless discipline and focus.

And achieved massive success.

Thanks to mastery.

Why Mastery Goes Hand-in-Hand with Happiness and Success

Success

Mastery is comprehensive knowledge or skill in a particular subject or activity.

This enables you to create value for your community or organization.

The more value you create, the more successful you will be.

The higher up the hierarchy you advance.

This is how hierarchies work.

“Hierarchies are based on competence and value creation, and mastery is the path that enables individuals to effectively navigate and move up these hierarchies.” - Jordan Peterson, Psychologist, Author.

Striving for mastery is a win-win situation for both you and your organization. It’s a way to align your own personal growth with creating value for society.

Your community wins through the increased value your mastery brings.

You win by building things like your self-efficacy, resilience, confidence, self-discipline, a growth mindset, curiosity, and adaptability.

So, whether you’re looking to grow in your career, feel more satisfied in your personal life, or become a better leader, mastery is the key that opens the door.

Happiness

Mastery gives you a clear direction, a sense of progress, and a reason to keep pushing yourself.

Even if you start off like Homer Simpson—lacking drive, you can always become more like Bruce Lee—determined, relentless, and a master of your craft.

And mastering your craft enables you to contribute more to your community and organization, thus bringing a sense of happiness.

Now, how can you pursue mastery of anything?

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Learning from Bruce Lee’s story

Bruce was committed to mastery of the martial arts

This commitment was the kind that goes beyond the ordinary.

He had clear goals and an unyielding growth mindset, which fueled his efforts.

He showed up every day, practicing until every move became second nature.

But Mastery is about more than just perfecting a skill.

It's about personal development.

You build resilience and confidence by pushing past the limits you thought you had.

When you commit to mastery, you start unlocking your true potential.

You begin to see setbacks as opportunities.

Challenges as paths to growth.

Bruce understood that real fulfillment comes from consistent progress and dedication to becoming the best version of yourself.

But mastery isn't just for martial artists like Bruce.

It's for anyone who wants to get better at something, whether it's your job, a hobby, or just being more present in your everyday life.

3 Simple Steps to Mastery

I wrote about consistency in a previous newsletter here.

In there, I stumbled on the quote “Consistency is the mother of mastery” by Robin Sharma. No surprise then, that Practice Consistently is actually the central step to achieving mastery.

1. Visualize Success: Use visualization as a tool to stay motivated. Picture yourself achieving your goal. Muhammad Ali said it best: “If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it.”

   For years, I visualized myself getting called up to receive my green blazer. Playing in the world championships. It all happened twice - first in my mind, and then in real life.

2. Practice Consistently: Consistency is key. Show up every day and put in the effort. Believe in your ability to grow and get better with practice and study. Seek feedback from mentors or peers, and use it to refine your skills.

   In Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, 10,000 hours of deliberate practice seems to be what it takes to achieve true mastery in any field. But, Josh Kaufman’s The First 20 Hours says one can achieve a functional level of competence with about 20 hours of focused, intentional practice.

3. Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize the progress you make along the way. Celebrating small victories helps you stay motivated and reinforces your commitment to the journey through consistency. I still remember buying a chocolate milkshake and packet of cashew nuts late at night as a reward whenever I won a local weekday tournament.

Mastery isn’t just about excelling in one area.

It’s a skill that can be applied to every part of your life.

Whether you want to learn a new language, master a musical instrument, or improve your relationships, the principles of mastery will guide you.

Follow this recipe, put in the work, and you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve.

Just commit to growth, visualize success, and practice consistently.

You will experience real progress.

Conclusion

Mastery can unlock both happiness and success for you.

Obviously, this depends on your view of happiness and success…

Happiness - Mastery gives you clear direction, a sense of progress, and a reason to keep pushing yourself. For many people, a sense of purpose and adding value to society brings lasting happiness.

Success - The world is arranged in hierarchies of value creation. For many people, the mark of success is their position on this hierarchy. Mastery enables you to increase the value you create and thus advance in these hierarchies, bringing you success.

That’s it for today folks, catch up more next week! ☕️