“Mastery” by Robert Greene

The author 🖋

Robert Greene is a multiple-time NYT bestselling author, public speaker and an expert on human psychology and social dynamics.

His books have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been praised by influential figures like Jay-Z, Will Smith, Michael Jackson, Barack Obama and many others.

Key takeaways 🎓

1. Pay attention to what excites you

The first step to mastery is discovering what truly interests us.

This involves reflecting on our childhood interests, being attentive to our inclinations and having the courage to follow our path even when it diverges from societal expectations.

Greene argues that everyone has a unique inner force that guides us toward certain activities - when we follow that voice, we’re more motivated to learn and improve, which is necessary to achieve mastery.

2. Learn from the masters

Find someone who has mastered what you want to learn.

Based on the author, expert mentors are vital during the journey to mastery.

Patience and humility are key virtues during this phase, as it often involves hard mundane work to acquire fundamental skills and knowledge.

Robert also stresses that on our way to mastery we must eventually break away from the mentor's shadow and forge our own path.

3. Practice + patience

Mastery is not a destination but a lifelong journey of continuous learning.

Anyone can achieve mastery, but it requires a combination of consistent effort, deliberate practice, patience putting in the hours and an intrinsic passion for what we decided to master.

Closing thoughts 🧠

The book offers somewhat of a roadmap to achieving excellence in any field by studying the common patterns in the lives of historical masters like Mozart and Leonardo da Vinci.

Greene debunks the myth of "innate genius" arguing that mastery is an acquirable skill through a rigorous process, not a genetic gift.

BTW - his interview on the Andrew Huberman podcast left a really big impression on me too!