| "body"> | | | | mastered. |
| If I could say that I have a superpower, it would | | | | If you can't get an "A" grade in arithmetic, you |
| be that I learn very quickly. More than any other | | | | shouldn't progress to algebra -- if you do then |
| skill, this one has been the most valuable to me | | | | you'll be crippled trying to learn calculus. |
| over the longest period of time. Even when I'm | | | | Master the basics first, no matter how long it |
| not particularly good at something initially, I'm | | | | takes. Earn your "A" in every single basic skill |
| usually able to learn it and pick it up fast. This | | | | before you move on to advanced skills. This is |
| comes from specific habits I've developed that | | | | the fastest way to learn in the long run. Earn the |
| support rapid learning, and the most important of | | | | right to graduate through each step from novice |
| these habits is this: | | | | to intermediate to expert. |
| Begin with the attitude of expecting mastery. | | | | Now if you ever find yourself stuck trying to |
| Whenever you attempt to learn something new, | | | | learn something new, and progress seems really |
| go into it with the expectation that you're | | | | slow, and you just don't seem to be getting it, |
| eventually going to master it, however long that | | | | then ask yourself this: Is there a prerequisite skill I |
| will take. Expect to become an expert. Think of | | | | haven't yet mastered? Almost always the answer |
| yourself as a top pro in training. | | | | will be yes. If you're having trouble learning |
| If you're learning to play golf, think of yourself as | | | | creative writing for instance, have you mastered |
| a future professional golfer. If you're learning | | | | basic grammar, writing sentences, writing |
| leadership skills, see yourself as a future world | | | | paragraphs, etc. |
| leader. If you're learning martial arts, imagine | | | | Go back and brush up on basic skills as often as |
| you're the next Bruce Lee. It doesn't matter if | | | | needed. Top pros in virtually any field will invest a |
| you ever actually achieve mastery. That's not the | | | | lot of time doing this. Professional golfers will hit |
| point. The point is that focusing on the goal of | | | | hundreds of golf balls at the driving range. Chess |
| ultimate mastery will sharpen your present focus. | | | | players will practice opening book moves and |
| If you imagine that someday you're going to be | | | | end-game scenarios over and over. Professional |
| leading your country, you're going to pay a lot | | | | football players (American or European version, |
| more attention to learning how to lead and | | | | take your pick) will do grueling physical workouts |
| manage people on small projects. | | | | to keep their bodies properly conditioned. One of |
| When I started to learn public speaking, I began | | | | my fellow Toastmasters often tells me that the |
| with the expectation that I'd eventually be one of | | | | best way to improve one of my speeches is |
| the top speakers in the world, even if it would | | | | "Practice x 3″ ... i.e. practice, practice, |
| take me decades to get there. This gave me a | | | | practice. |
| context for working really hard on the basics | | | | If you experienced a shoddy education early in |
| over the past year because a top pro must be | | | | life, take responsibility as an adult to correct it. Go |
| able to handle the basics nearly flawlessly. | | | | back and re-learn what you should have learned |
| Another way to apply this idea is to imagine that | | | | as a child until you achieve mastery of all the |
| you'll eventually have to teach whatever you learn | | | | basics. If your reading, writing, and math skills |
| to someone else. If that works better for you, | | | | aren't at least at a 12th grade level after |
| great -- use it. | | | | graduating high school, then you make them so. |
| Think about how this attitude will sharpen your | | | | Success in many endeavors often comes not by |
| present moment actions. Suppose you're about to | | | | applying some complicated fancy new technique |
| learn something totally new to you. Let's say it's | | | | but rather from consistent mastery of the basics. |
| learning to play chess. In the first scenario, | | | | You don't need to buy a fancy new piece of |
| imagine you don't care how good you get and | | | | exercise equipment to lose weight if you master |
| that you just want to try it to see how it goes | | | | any basic exercise. You can lose all the weight |
| for you. In the second scenario, picture yourself | | | | you want just from running or biking. |
| as a next world chess champion, putting even | | | | This goes for personal management habits too. |
| Gary Kasparov's amazingly successful career to | | | | You can inject all kinds of fancy technology into |
| shame. Can you see how the second attitude will | | | | your life to try to become better organized, but it |
| sharpen your focus for learning chess today -- | | | | won't mean squat if you haven't mastered the |
| right now -- even if you never do become a | | | | basic skill of self-discipline. Throwing extra |
| grandmaster? What would you do differently with | | | | technology on top of an undisciplined person will |
| the second attitude that you wouldn't do with the | | | | just make a bigger mess. |
| first? | | | | If you ever catch yourself thinking that the |
| The attitude of mastery causes you to take a | | | | solution to your problems is something fancy and |
| long-term strategic approach to learning. You | | | | complicated, I challenge you to question that |
| understand that any early weaknesses will be | | | | assumption. Can you reduce the problem to a |
| magnified as you progress, so you take the time | | | | deficiency in basic skills? New technology will only |
| to lay a solid foundation with no gaps. If you're | | | | make you more of who you already are. If |
| learning to play golf, you'll take the time to | | | | you're inherently disorganized, technology will |
| perfect your grip and your stance early on, | | | | merely turn your physical clutter into |
| knowing that if you try to progress to advanced | | | | techno-clutter. If you can't cook, more cookware |
| techniques too soon, you'll only reinforce bad | | | | isn't the answer. |
| habits. | | | | There are no shortcuts here. When you want to |
| One of the reasons people fail to learn quickly is | | | | learn something new, adopt the attitude of |
| that they don't build a solid enough foundation. | | | | mastery going in, and then put in the time to |
| They cripple their progress by forcing themselves | | | | master the basics. This is what it takes to |
| to move past concepts they haven't yet | | | | achieve enduring success. |