Week 5: Feb. 2 – 8

 Week 5: Feb. 2 – 8 

Mastery by George Leonard 

Originally this was an article written as part of Ultimate Fitness for Esquire and it was so overwhelmingly received that he wrote a book 

-Chapter 1: What is Mastery? 

Example of learning Tennis – we make progress, then we plateau, we make progress and plateau... but higher each time 

Life is a continual state of mastery and learning 

-Chapter 2: Meet the Dabbler, the Obsessive, and the Hacker 

Dabbler: approaches each new thing with enormous enthusiasm

"The eternal kid"

Obsessive: bottom-line type of person, not one to settle for second best: 

I don't give up! Until I crash

I admit this is mostly me

Hacker: willing to stay on the plateau indefinitely. At work, he does only enough to get by, leaves on time or early, takes every break, talks instead of doing his job, and wonders why he doesn't get promoted. When your tennis partner starts improving his or her game and you don't, the game eventually breaks up.

I am happy right where I am

-Chapter 3: America’s War Against Mastery 

We live in an instant gratification type of society and that is not good for mastery
-Chapter 4: Loving the Plateau 

Learn the joy of regular practice. Sometimes mastery is in the practice and not the overall goal.

Perseverance: Pres. James E. Faust

I enjoyed the slow way Pres. Faust speaks and his message. I sent the link to Elder Anderson on his mission. 

-Things learned from serving a mission: 

• 1. How to organize and use time wisely 
  
• 2. The importance of hard work—that you reap what you sow 
  
• 3. Leadership skills 
  
• 4. People skills 
  
• 5. The value of gospel study 
  
• 6. Respect for authority 
  
• 7. The importance of prayer 
  
• 8. Humility and dependence on the Lord 
  

-Success is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged when we encounter challenges. Paul Harvey, the famous news analyst and author, once said: “Someday I hope to enjoy enough of what the world calls success so that someone will ask me, ‘What’s the secret of it?’ I shall say simply this: ‘I get up when I fall down.’” 

-Those who desire to be baptized into the Church are required by the Lord to have “a determination to serve him to the end.” 

How Do You Find Your Passion and How Do You Pursue It? 

Don’t stress about finding “the” passion, or “the one” route. Find a direction, then open a door. Ten more doors will appear, and you can go through one. Keep moving and you will meander your way to where you need to be. 

Most Entrepreneurs are Not Rock Stars 

I liked this one as it reminds us that we don’t need to be a rockstar, but rather just be us. 

The odds of starting up a company and having the company be worth a billion dollars is 0.0006%. Don’t aim for that… 

Sometimes working for a big company is the better option. You have more resources, customers, and scope. It has pros and cons, but you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes you just need to improve the wheel within an existing company. 

A Hero’s Journey 

I love that this has practical advice and a list of things you should do…

-I believe that you have a very special mission on this earth. A mission that will succeed beyond your wildest dreams, but only if you have the faith and courage to find that entrepreneurial calling. 

-Find great role models and ask them questions. The older they get, the more the answers are the same. Have I contributed something meaningful? Was I a good person? And who did I love, and who loved me? 

-Interview 2 older (over 60) people and ask them about their life 

-So try this experiment; ask five people you know well what you do better than anyone else in the world. Press for specifics, and examples, and evidence. If you’re like most people, you’ll be surprised at what you find. The answers will be consistent, and you’ll discover your gift is something you assumed was easy. Because it is easy for you, even though it’s very difficult for others. 

-Find something that makes you lose track of time. Does it bring you Joy? Does it satisfy a deep, burning need in the world? 

-Make a list of “I will nots” that are moral boundaries you will not cross. Write yourself a future letter that will help when you hit temptation. Example: joke from his father: “Do you know what the greatest difference is between you and God? God never believes he’s you.” 

-Think of someone in your life who you are truly grateful for but have never thanked. A parent, a favorite aunt, a coach, a teacher. Then write a one page letter expressing your gratitude and go and find them and read the letter aloud. Scientific research shows if you do this, you’ll be happier and more satisfied for months to come.