Mastery

Mastery
Mastery by George Leonard is a book that deals with the key terms and concepts anyone must know to truly master any skill. The book gives us four different types of students, each different in there learning method and in their achieved skill level. It also gives us the five steps to mastering any skill.
The four different types of learners, the dabbler, the obsessive, the hacker, and the master. Each learner has their own techniques of learning the same skills. The dabbler learns one skill or technique very quickly but then gives up and moves on to a new area of study. The obsessive, like the dabbler, learns the skills very quickly. Unlike the dabbler, the obsessive does not move on but works twice as hard to keep his learning curve on the rise. After a while of this the obsessive burns out after finding out that keeping the curve from reaching a plateau, is impossible. The hackers, learn quickly conquering two or three skills of a trade. After theses skills the hackers learning curve plateaus, he or she will not continue to master their skills. The hacker is perfectly content with the knowledge that he or she has learned. The master is not unlike the hacker in the first stage of learning, but unlike the hacker the master continues to pursue his skills even after he or she has reached a plateau. The master will plateau and rise above constantly, throughout his life. The master is content with reaching a plateau because he knows that while on the plateau, he is still working toward growth. The master also knows and understands that mastering a skill is a lifetime work in progress.
The five keys Leonard gives us about mastering any skill are instruction, practice, surrender, intentionality, and edge. Leonard writes that it is best to receive instruction from a master of a skill either with a one on one learning experience or a small group of four or less. There are many other ways to master a skill although they are not the best way to go about it.