Taking the First Step to Mastery: The Growth Mindset
To get to any level of mastery, one must have a growth mindset and be willing to learn rather than succumb to the victim-hood mentality. Change is hard at first and often messy in the middle, but it will ultimately lead to success.
The Mentality of Industry Titans
Carol Dueck, an expert on the subject of mastery, identifies two mindsets that all industry titans have in common.
The first, called the coaster’s mindset, is a victim-hood mentality where people give up before they even begin because they think they “just aren’t hardwired” to succeed.
The second, which she calls the growth mindset, is a mentality that recognizes that while you may not know how to do something now, if you learn how to do it, you can succeed.
The Journey to Mastery
To become a master in any field, one must start as a beginner.
It’s a process that never ends and involves facing difficult challenges along the way.
Change is often hard and uncomfortable, but it’s necessary to progress and reach success.
Overcoming Escape Velocity
To help you stay focused and motivated during your journey, keep in mind that like the space shuttle which uses more fuel during its first 60 seconds of launch than during its entire circumference around Earth, you too will have to use a great amount of energy and dedication to overcome the gravitational forces of old habits and escape velocity.