MASTERY

Who is a master? One who has spent 10,000 hours? Or more?

Well, that could be debatable given the nuances around research and development.

But, that’s not exactly the point.

While the notion of dedicating 10,000 hours resonates as a marker of thorough education and specialized expertise, it’s essential to recognize that the quantitative analysis of models like mastery is only part of the narrative.

In a sense, mastery is an illusion - an idea that represents a journey than it does a destination. True masters never arrive. Mastery is a lifelong pursuit and a commitment to continuous curiosity and iterative education to consolidate new, better and more powerful outcomes.

Achieving mastery is more about the ability of the genius mind to continually function in flow state and progressively experience life from a state of being + perpetual becoming, than it is about reaching a destination.

In pursuing mastery, the destination is the path and the path is the destination.

Mastery goes beyond fixating on outcomes to perpetual skill refinement and deepening of the fundamentals.

It is necessary to define outcomes as a compass for direction and guidance but to let go as you engage so you can deepen understanding.

The goal of mastery is understanding.

Or what you may call, depth.

And, depth doesn’t happen through spread or climbing ladders but allowing the focus of your pursuit send you the ladder.

Now, that’s against popular opinion.

You don’t grow or advance on the path of mastery by creating an ordered curriculum. It is the path you seek to master that defines the order of your curriculum which only happens through continuous curiosity; where, you are skilled in identifying your own gaps as you iterate, as opposed to following a conventional path.

This is why schooling systems do not produce masters, only graduates. Because, the curriculum is designed for completion not deepening. It is more about finishing a course than knowing the course.

The school system is designed for completion, not mastery. This is evident in the structure of examination, which in itself is simply a test of recall.

This pressure to “finish” a course leaves little room for students to delve deeply into topics that spark their curiosity or to explore tangential avenues related to the subject matter.

In contrast, the path to mastery necessitates a departure from this completion centered model. Mastery involves a continuous, iterative deepening of understanding, where learners explore topics thoroughly, connect disparate concepts, and engage in intellectual inquiry beyond the confines of a predefined curriculum.

This style of education empowers learners to become true masters of their chosen domains, capable of contributing meaningfully to their fields through a deep and nuanced comprehension of fundamental principles.

That is the path of mastery.

All knowledge is produced from one mind. Thorough education and deepened understanding would easily help you in navigating the world from your field of study.

This is because, effective specialization is generalization. Wisdom is transferable and learning is not linear.

Everything is connected.

This is not the case for many because the schooling and self-education systems are not designed towards mastery.

In mastery, you are not a junkie, continually seeking advanced knowledge and ideas. You are not actively seeking depth but building depth. You become obsessed with the fundamentals and a nuanced understanding of the basic ideas in your chosen field of mastery not jumping from one fancy idea to another.

Learning isn’t reduced to an itemized to-do list without intellectual adventure. It transcends the conventional method of learning you were taught in school. Rather, you are keen in your interaction with knowledge—studying patterns, synthesizing ideas and deepening understanding.

Mastery is a continuous development of the fundamentals.

Masters are masters because they are masters of the basics and they continually seek to deepen the understanding they have of the fundamentals thus, birthing new knowledge, ideas and inventions.

In this essay, I’d be exploring the path of mastery and cardinals you must master as a genius.

Let’s dive in.

The Path Of Mastery

Let’s start with this - until you identify the iOS responsible for your engagement and output, you could be moving on a rolling chair for a long time, trying to understand why you aren’t going forward.

Here’s why that was necessary -

A lot of how you currently engage is rooted in your learning structures. These structures, primarily unconscious —you learn as you evolve. From upbringing to schooling, your learning structures become defined.

Your current interaction with knowledge is largely influenced by the learning systems that inputed that structure of interaction.

In school, it is the one who is skilled in recall that is considered brilliant. Hence, to pass —you’d have to move from understanding and critical thinking to acceptance.

As a student, you are assessed based on your ability to recall facts and concepts within a constrained timeframe. This consolidates a learning structure where surface-level understanding and knowledge-prostitution becomes the iOS for your self-education.

You’d have to unlearn that.

Mastery isn’t about being better than everyone else or “getting it right”. It’s about not being able to get it wrong and being the ONLY one. Mastery places you in a league of your own.

The path of mastery is a seductive dance of experience, education, expertise & intellectual adventure. This path, is the curriculum of the genius.

You have to be skilled and willing to learn all that there is about your field, honing on the basics continually and re-visiting to see new streams of knowledge.

Just like a road-trip, on the path of mastery are twists and turns, going forward and going backward yet heading to the same destination. The path is the destination.

While on this path, it’s essential to balance philosophy and pragmatism. Where, your ability to theorize is matched up with practice.

Any learning curriculum without hands-on practice is a flop and a joke. You can’t gain mastery without getting your hands dirty.

Mastery is gained with a curriculum that finely balances active learning and intense practice overtime.

Have you met people who can say everything wrong about a person’s craft yet have never actively engaged same craft? I have.

And, when these people finally decide to get their hands in the game, it’s almost always a total mess.

When I’m seated on a chair and music comes on, I’m such an incredible dancer in my head. You’d see me move on the chair and almost conclude I’d be a great dancer until I’m brought to the dance floor.

Or a person singing with a headset on as though they were Shania Twain until they hear the recording of the disastrous performance.

What I’m saying is - Don’t think it. Do it.

Learn it. Practice it. Teach it.

That’s how you consolidate.

Philosophy must meet pragmatism for mastery.

Your system of learning must incorporate practicals overtime.

Importantly, you must engage with the genius mind —understanding that genius is expandable and potential is boundless. Go the extra mile to become the template for your industry.

Cardinals Of Mastery

Evidently, you should choose a craft or “domains” you seek to master. However, there are three (3) essential cardinals every genius must master.

They are;

1. Mental Mastery

2. Skill Mastery

3. Vision Mastery

Mental Mastery

How well are you in control of your mind?

How well are you in control of your thoughts?

How well are you in control of your emotions?

How well are you aware of your biases & prejudices?

How well do you tolerate pain and discomfort?

How do you respond to criticism, rejections & rebuttals?

How well do you know yourself? Not what you THINK about yourself..

Those are starter questions to ask yourself while we explore this cardinal of mastery.

Mental mastery is the recognition, awareness, optimization & control of your cognitive processes (thinking, reasoning, emotion, pain, stress etc).

All through my essays, this is something I consistently emphasize; Mental mastery & sovereignty —The ability to wield power over your experience and engagement. To choose and to respond.

You never see the world as it is, but as you are. Question everything. Never read with the colors of your biases and attempt to investigate without attachment —Your thoughts, emotions, perception and prejudices.

Your mind is a tool not a master, except you allow it operate as one —what a terrible master it could be.

How you make sense of situations, lashbacks, rebuttals etc.. Is never based on your external environment but your internal environment.

Master yourself to be aware of the actors within for effective governance without.

The awareness and control of your cognitive functions provides you the ability to effectively self-educate. Mental mastery affords you the scepter to frame your identity and architect possibilities.

Master your mind and the actors within your mental estate.

Skill Mastery

Relevance is tied to radical exceptionality. The ability to hone your craft with dexterity, precision & poise to a level of proficiency that stands you out is skill mastery.

Mastering your skill is an essential cardinal for mastery because genius expression is the sum total of diverse inter-connected skills, mental mastery & vision mastery.

Your skills are tools for trade. They are incentives you pick up as you engage knowledge and weapons you utilize for wealth creation.

They are tickets that can also get you in a room and resource that could supersede money depending on how it is refined and engaged.

Excellence doesn’t thrive on being good enough. You’ve got to be exceptional. And, the visibility of your genius is in the excellent utilization of your skill.

There is the skilled and the proficient. The skilled has the skills while the proficient is a master of the skills.

The report card of your genius should be in the proficiency of your skills.

Are you a writer? Master the skill of writing.

A designer? Master the skill of creativity.

A chef? Master the skill of cooking.

Whatever you do or want to be known for…master the skill(s) involved.

Deepen your understanding of the basics and create a new model out of a common skill.

This is how we have a Picasso.

Vision Mastery

There is the intelligence for capturing a vision solid. It is the infrastructure for brilliant building.

To master your vision, ask WHY, WHAT, HOW & WHO.

The Cardinal —Vision Mastery equips you with the foresight and insight to navigate the complexities of creation.

Writing a book? The easiest way would be to master the vision for that book.

Here’s what that looks like;

- Identifying the over-arching theme of the book

- Defining the structure of the book

- Outlining its objectives and central goal

- Determining the style of writing

- Identifying the audience for the book

- Determining research papers for the book

…etc..

Vision mastery involves critically understanding the intricacies of a vision as you build and using that insight to guide your process. Thus, engineering a replicable model of success.

Across all cardinals, it is critical to recognise that mastery is not an endpoint but a lifelong pursuit. Stay committed to the process and allow yourself engage hard things.

And, in a world where you can be anything…be GENIUS.

– Faith .A. Ohio