Book SummaryMastery, by George Leonard

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Mastery

Mastery, by writer and educator George Leonard, is about the life lived in disciplined dedication to one’s skill, craft, or art. In Leonard’s view, mastery is not an end goal, but a path. It’s a lifelong journey of continuous learning, discovery, and development of a skill, such as martial arts, painting, teaching, running, chess, or anything else. Further, Leonard argues that the master’s path is the only surefire way to live a fulfilling life. Modern culture teaches us to want the quick, easy, and effortless way to success and happiness but never really gets us there.

Leonard wrote Mastery,...

Mastery Summary Mastery Is a Path, Not a Destination

To begin, we’ll explain Leonard’s definition of “mastery.” Put simply, mastery is the continual, focused pursuit of developing a skill. In this sense, it’s the way of life lived by those who choose to walk the path of the master.

That concept—that mastery is a path, rather than a goal—is the core of Leonard’s perspective. To live his notion of mastery is to immerse yourself in the lifelong process of discovering, refining, and constantly learning more about the skill you choose to pursue.

Thus, Leonard says, mastery is an endless journey along which you commit to deep, dedicated learning of the myriad minutiae of your chosen skill. It takes patience and focus to steadily grind away at the fundamentals, to build a solid base of basic skills, and to choose to keep going. All along the way, remember that the end goal isn’t the point—rather, the path itself is the point.

Differing Definitions of Mastery

In his book of the same title, Robert Greene offers a different definition of mastery. Specifically, he contends that mastery is a state of fully developed creative excellence—the point at the end...

Mastery Summary Mastery’s Five Core Lessons

Having explained the nature of mastery as well as the three more common learning styles that impede it, we’ll next discuss five core lessons that, according to Leonard, will get you on the master’s path. Namely, we’ll detail how to find a great teacher, how to practice, how to let go of results and get on with the process, how to visualize your growth, and how to push beyond your edges.

Get Instruction

Leonard says that while it’s possible to learn skills on your own, the best learning happens under the guidance of a skilled instructor. This is because teachers can tailor their instruction to your specific needs as a learner. Your teacher can give you precise, specific feedback, demonstrate the forms and techniques of your skill, offer encouragement, and mentor you through your unique challenges. In contrast, you’ll spend a lot of time trudging through territory that’s already been mapped if you try to learn on your own.

(Shortform note: Robert Greene agrees in Mastery that one-on-one guidance is the best way to get a quality education in your field. [He names three...

Mastery Summary The Master’s Toolkit

In this last section of our guide, we’ll detail Leonard’s final words of advice regarding four challenges that you’ll face along the path of mastery. Namely, we’ll discuss his advice on overcoming resistance to change, building your energy, avoiding common pitfalls, and mastering the mundane aspects of everyday life.

Change for Good

According to Leonard, it’s important to achieve lasting change in your lifestyle when you seek mastery. After all, to walk the master’s path is no small commitment and will require you to prioritize your chosen skill over many other things. But lasting change doesn’t come easy. We all hesitate, stumble, and often fall when trying to change our habits, behaviors, or ways of living. We all slide backward as we try to change.

This happens because, Leonard explains, the human body and mind strive to maintain homeostasis—your natural balance of energy and effort—every day. When you try to change, your body and mind sense that something different is happening, and they generate resistance to get you to settle back into your normal patterns.

For instance, you may have tried to build a habit of getting to the gym or waking up early (or...

Shortform Exercise: Get a Feel for the Master’s Attitude

In this short exercise, practice approaching some mundane aspect of your life as a master would approach his craft.

To begin, think back to Leonard’s argument that you can treat even the most mundane activities as opportunities to practice mastery. What part of your life could this apply to? (For instance, making your bed or getting ready for work.)