Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.

Okay, so Mastery is an explanation of Zen principles by a white dude for other white people. It is still a fairly interesting book, drawing on Leonard's long work in the 60s human potential movement, and specifically becoming a Aikido black belt, as well as an early life as a bomber pilot instructor in World War 2.

Most of us are okay at many things, few of us are genuine masters. Moderately skilled non-masters fall into one of three archetypes. Dabblers rush to try new things, enjoying the rush of new gear and new jargon and communities, but at the slightest friction retreat. Obsessives double down, always demanding results and increased performance while ignoring the toll of injuries until burnout. And hackers develop One Good Trip and stay in their comfortable spot without ever getting to the core of the activity. (I'm a hacker, for what it's worth).

Mastery is instead the focus on process over product, on finding the simple pleasure in focus and doing it right until you can do it perfectly. It is about the slow path and enjoying the plateau.

There are five keys to mastery (which I've stolen from another review. Hacker, remember :p)

1. Instruction-Get first rate instruction. The best instructor balances praise and correction, never scolds, and splits attention between beginners, experts, the gifted, and clods. Check their lineage and especially their students


2. Practice-This is the path. For how long? As long as you are alive. Every single day, with discipline and focus and joy.


3. Surrender-Learning involves certain indignities, you will not look good from the get-go. Surrendering means there are no experts, only learners. Expect to be clumsy and foolish


4. Intentionality-To avoid falling into a spineless fluffy practice, you need a clear vision of where you want to get to. Visualize your mastery, then enact it.


5. The Edge-This is where the master distances himself from the rest. There is tinge of craziness, the pursuit of the impossible, that distinguishes the master from the mere expert




What is also interesting is the forces that work against mastery. Consumerism, and the quick fix via distraction and the numbing pleasures of drugs and media are the obvious one, but their are more subtle foes of mastery as well. The demand for profits, for wins, for quick success erodes true mastery. A measure becomes both a goal and limit--why exceed what is required? And your life is part of a balanced, homeostatic system, and there will be resistance to changes in its patterns that manifests in innumerable ways as you pursue mastery.

This book is often inspiring, sometimes digressive, and definitely worth reading.