The Path to Success, Mastery and Flow

 

The best definition of success I have come across is “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal or goal.” In other words, everyone can define their success according to their predefined goals/outcome and each individual's road map will be different. I believe strongly that personal growth ties in firmly with an individual's success and that's what I am expanding on below.

I have also heard a lot of people say "Do what you love" but I have a slight variation on that. I might love playing guitar but if I am not any good at it then it doesn't matter how much I love it. I think it is better to live by the motto “Love what you do and keep getting better at it.” Not all of us can do what we love but we have the choice to love what we do for a living. By embracing the work we have and committing to continuous improvement, we can cultivate a sense of pride and accomplishment. This approach turns a job from a mundane task into a personal challenge for growth and excellence, making the journey of getting better just as rewarding as the end goal.

What is the requirement for success and mastery? I believe it is the ability to keep getting better and better at what we do for a living. When we really think about it that’s all it boils down to. I like the Nike ad campaign which says “There is no finish line.” They launched this ad campaign in 1977 and one statement included “Beating the competition is relatively easy but beating yourself is a never-ending commitment.” This can be a metaphor for us in our learning journey as there is no end. Carol Dweck's excellent book Mindset also suggests that mastery is a mindset. Some people believe that intelligence can’t be increased (fixed mindset). Others believe that with hard work, learning, training, and effort intelligence can be increased. The latter group has what Dweck calls a growth mindset. Those individuals with a growth mindset don't mind failure because they believe performance can be improved as learning comes from failure. She also says people have two types of goals: learning goals and the other is performance goals. Getting an A in French is a performance goal whereas mastering a language is a learning goal. People with learning goals in the long term reach mastery. A growth mindset is the engine of all progress because it allows us to see setbacks not as a final verdict on our abilities, but as essential data points on our path to getting better. It’s the belief that our potential is not predetermined but is something we can actively expand.

One of the tools I have found useful is the three-part hedgehog concept articulated by Jim Collins in his blockbuster book “Good to Great”. The three questions to ponder are: What you can be the best in the world at? What is your economic denominator? What are you deeply passionate about? The hedgehog concept provides a powerful framework for strategic focus. By finding the intersection of these three questions, you can identify the single most important thing you should be doing. This focus prevents you from spreading yourself too thin and allows you to dedicate your energy to the area where you can achieve true excellence. It is a tool for finding your purpose and aligning your passion with your skills and economic reality.

It is incredible the amount of information that is available to all of us in our fields. Time was when only a select few could reach mastery in their fields as information was hoarded and not shared or available for everyone. The great thing about the time in which we are living now is the amount of abundance open. I don’t mean only the economic aspect, I believe the amount of information that is available to each of us is mind-numbing and we can’t possibly learn everything in more than one lifetime. Just look at the following statistic: Over 90% of all the data in the world was created in the past 2 years. The questions to address in our learning journey are: How to get better at what we do? Are we willing to use the enormous information available to our advantage and attain the mastery that is possible for each of us? The key to navigating this abundance is not to try and consume everything but to be strategic about what you learn. The abundance of information gives us a unique opportunity to learn directly from the best in the world. Our challenge now is not a lack of resources, but rather the discipline to filter, focus, and apply the knowledge that is most relevant to our goals.

Here are the simple steps that I believe can get us better and better at what we do:

* Find the experts in our field of expertise: The first step is to identify who the masters are in your chosen field. These are the individuals who have already achieved a high level of success and whose work is recognized as the gold standard. By studying them, you can learn from their methods, their mistakes, and their philosophies, saving yourself years of trial and error.

* Read their blogs: Blogs offer a dynamic and often personal window into the minds of experts. They are a constant source of up-to-date information, insights, and thought leadership. By regularly reading the blogs of experts, you can stay current with the latest trends and deepen your understanding of the nuances of your field.

* Listen to their podcasts: Podcasts provide a convenient and engaging way to learn from experts, especially during commutes or other downtimes. The conversational format of podcasts can offer a different perspective and allow you to absorb complex ideas in a more accessible and often more entertaining way.

* Write down what we have learned: The act of writing is a powerful tool for solidifying knowledge. It forces you to process and organize new information, moving it from short-term memory into long-term understanding. Keeping a journal or a notebook of your key learnings from books, blogs, and podcasts is essential for retention.

* Share what we have learned as it has been well documented that we only learn when we teach: The ultimate test of your understanding is your ability to explain a concept to someone else. By sharing what you've learned through a blog post, a presentation, or even a simple conversation, you not only reinforce your own knowledge but also contribute to the community, creating a virtuous cycle of learning.

* Set goals for our learning: Learning without a purpose can be aimless. By setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your learning, you create a clear roadmap for your progress. These goals can range from mastering a specific skill to completing a certification.

* Read broadly for example if we are in management we can read all the management books out there: While it's important to focus, it's equally important to broaden your perspective. Reading widely, even in areas that are not directly related to your primary field, can spark new ideas and provide innovative solutions to problems. A manager, for example, might find inspiration for team dynamics by reading about evolutionary biology or psychology.

* Take certifications in our area of expertise: Certifications are a way of validating your skills and knowledge in a formal way. They provide a structured learning path and a tangible milestone to work towards, which can be a great motivator and a valuable addition to your professional credentials.

* Learn something new every day and remember we are never through learning: The commitment to lifelong learning is the hallmark of a true master. The world is constantly changing, and what is relevant today may not be tomorrow. By dedicating time each day to learning something new, you ensure that your skills and knowledge remain sharp and relevant.

* Apply what we have learned to our work or personal life: Knowledge is only potential power. True mastery comes from the application of what you have learned. By actively seeking opportunities to use your new skills and knowledge, you not only deepen your understanding but also create a real-world impact that drives your personal and professional growth.

* We should try to get into what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls the state of flow where everything seems to fall in place, we are fully energized and feel a complete state of joy in our activities: Flow is a peak state of performance where you are completely absorbed in an activity. By structuring your work to have clear goals and immediate feedback, you can create the conditions to enter this state, making your pursuit of mastery a deeply rewarding and joyful experience.

* Listen to audiobooks or read during commute time: Commute time, waiting in line, or any other downtime can be transformed into productive learning opportunities. Audiobooks and podcasts are a fantastic way to consume a vast amount of information without adding extra time to your day.

* Develop the quality of grit which according to Angela Lee Duckworth of the University of Pennsylvania is the single most important determinant of success: Grit is the passion and perseverance to pursue long-term goals. It is the ability to stick with a difficult task, even when faced with setbacks, and to see your commitment through to the end. This unyielding quality is what separates those who succeed from those who give up.

* Finally the magic word “Practice, Practice, Practice” or to use the words the experts say “Deliberate Practice.” Perform deliberate practice for 10000 hours or 10 years on your areas of expertise and you will reach Mastery: Deliberate practice is the most direct path to mastery. It is not just mindlessly repeating a task, but an intentional, focused effort to push past your current abilities, get feedback, and make continuous adjustments. This consistent, focused effort over a long period is what truly forges a master.

The steps are simple but following them is the key. If we follow this consistently over a long period I believe mastery is very much in our grasp though we never reach it completely as it is a never-ending journey. The real joy is in the pursuit of mastery and commitment to lifelong learning is the key. There is no quick fix or shortcut. We have to be in it for the long haul. One example of perseverance is Tenzing Norgay who reached the summit of Everest along with Edmund Hillary on his seventh attempt.

Finding Your Flow State

We have all heard about the concept of flow (book by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) when you lose track of time in the activity you are involved in. Here are some of the elements of flow and once you get into that you will achieve mastery and success will follow: Clear and challenging goals; High level of concentration; Lose track of time seconds are experienced as minutes; Constant and immediate feedback; There should be goals just out of reach; Escape from the problems of everyday life. The state of flow is where hard work becomes effortless joy. It is the peak state of performance where your skills are perfectly matched with the challenge at hand. By structuring your work to include clear goals and immediate feedback, you can create the conditions necessary to enter this state, making your pursuit of mastery a deeply rewarding and engaging experience.

I want to finish with this quote from Elbert Hubbard which is very relevant and important on the path to Success and Mastery. “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”

The views expressed in this article are my own and do not represent my organization.