Susan M. Weinschenk, Ph.D., says, “Mastery is a powerful motivator.“
The smallest signs of progress can motivate people to move forward. This is the reason social sites display the percentage left to complete your profile. It is also the reason grocery stores have reward points for money spent. When we see things build up from our efforts, we gain momentum and feel motivated to keep going.
Mastery, however, is a destination that is never arrived at.
It is like a mirage in the desert.
It is a journey in itself.
In his book ‘Drive,’ Daniel Pink says, “mastery can be approached, but never reached.” You can get continually better without reaching a goal. In fact, the path to Mastery is charted by an Asymptote Curve. Which is ‘a straight line that continually approaches a given curve but does not meet it at any finite distance.’
This is what makes the ambition towards Mastery a powerful motivator.
So, when you set out on your journey to learn something, know your purpose for the knowledge. That way, you will know when to stop.
If, on the other hand, the joy of learning new things and seeing old things in new ways excites you, just keep going. People who might have reached the top of their journeys might critique you. But the beautiful thing about going for Mastery is that you will be a student forever, and you will provide new perspectives for the Masters on the path.
Mastery: Comprehensive knowledge or skill in a particular subject or activity.
Hi I’m Jamuna Burry.
365 DAYS is my personal practice of shipping words and images.
Exploring ideas on creativity through digital art.
I’m pleased to pique your curiosity. Thanks for letting me know.
This is really interesting – thank you! I was curious & looked up pictures for the asymptote curve, and some show it in 2D approaching a curved line, and some represent it as 3D up through the centre of spirals, which interests me a lot!