Mastery in Life and Business: Are you a Dabbler or a Master in Your Business

Posted on March 16, 2010 by Meisha Rouser, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

I had a client remark the other day that they wish they could perform like one of their professional colleagues who seemed to have the business “mastered” and made it look so easy. They wanted to stop feeling like they were in a rat race…that feeling of working so hard with little results. I think we all have admired people we would consider to be “Masters” in what they do or who they are. It always seems to come so natural to them. Doesn’t Tiger Woods make golf look so easy and effortless? (I know Tiger always seems to be the one picked as an example, but man, he IS good.) So, how do we achieve that state of “Mastery”?

In think it takes three things:

*CLEAR MISSION AND PURPOSE *

Starting with a clear mission and purpose is the foundation.

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor 161 to 180 AD, and considered to be one of the best Stoic Philosophers states: “Everything – a horse, a vine – is created for some duty…for what task, then, were you yourself created? A mans true delight is to do the things he was made for.”

Why do you think/feel you are here? I know…that million-dollar question. If you are totally stuck, then ask yourself what you would like people to remember you by when you pass on.

What are your gifts and talents? Stop! Really! List them, no one’s watching, go for it – list everything you can think of.

What are you passionate about? This is the fun question. Has it been some time since you have asked yourself this one? Are you living with passion?

The Buddha:
“Your work is to discover your work, and then with all your heart, to give yourself to it.”

Deepak Chopra:
“Everyone has a purpose in life…a unique gift or special talent to give to others.”

Still doubtful that you have a unique talent that you are meant to master? Then here is one more teaching from another “Master”…

Jesus:
“If you bring forth what is inside you, what you bring forth will save you. If you don’t bring forth what is inside you, what you don’t bring forth will destroy you.”

That is powerful! Think about what is being said here…you must bring forth your uniqueness. By ignoring this it can actually harm the person you were meant to be. Chew on that one for a while.

Then why is it so hard to bring forth and live your purpose and mission in life?

One reason could be that you are unsure what your mission is. If you are not clear on what your purpose and mission is, what truly fulfills you, then that is where a life coach can be the pivotal change in your life.

Lets assume that you do know what your purpose is in life. The next step in becoming a master is a focused mind.

A FOCUSED MIND

Many times it is our Saboteur that gets in our way…the little voice that keeps us back by saying things like, “Who do you think you are?”, “You can’t do that.”, “We don’t have time for that.”, etc. How does your Saboteur hold you back?

By having a focused mind, we keep that negative self-talk, the Saboteur, at bay. By replacing negative self-talk you enable yourself to continue to move forward towards your goals, passions and mission.

William Shakespeare:
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

Are you combating that negative self-talk with positive self-talk?

Marcus Aurelius:
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it, and this you have the power to revoke at any moment”.

Buddha:
“More than those who hate you, more than all your enemies, an undisciplined mind does greater harm.”

The mind is like a horse. It is hard to keep control over it. Let’s pretend you are riding a horse. You are riding in the direction you want to go. Then, out of nowhere, comes a snake slithering across your path. Bam, off goes your horse in a different direction, startled and scared by the snake. It takes time and a lot of strength and soothing words to calm your horse down and lead it back in the direction you want. In another moment, your horse sees a beautiful, sunny field of poppies, and wanders off for a little snack. It is so beautiful that you allow it to wander and enjoy the sun. Uhg! Again you have strayed from your path and your direction. Thus, controlling your mind can be very similar. Can you relate to this metaphor?

Keeping on the path is a constant battle that all masters face.

Marcus Aurelius:
“When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, lose no time in recovering your self-control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it.”

Leonardo de Vinci:
“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of ones self.”

A focused mind also resides in the present moment. George Leonard, author of various books on human possibility and social change, wrote a book called “Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment”. In his book he states that mastery is not about perfection but is a journey. It is not about the past or the future. A true “master” is focused in the present moment.

I once read a book that told the story of a Buddhist Master dedicated to building a new temple in India. With no money he worked tirelessly to find the labor, money and motivation he needed to build the temple. In addition, his days were filled with locals coming to him for his wisdom and help. He could masterfully, and tirelessly, move from one event into the next with complete devotion and dedication to the task at hand, yet never failing from his mission. This is true mastery and focus.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Mastery is a journey, not a destination. It is a way of life. Think about Tiger Woods. From an early age he had a mission, purpose and passion. He did and still does work tirelessly at practicing the game of golf with a focused mind.

According to the research and study released in the book “Outliers: The Story of Success”, written by Malcolm Gladwell, he has found that in order to be excellent at performing a complex task requires a minimum of 10,000 hours for true expertise. He states how this was true for the Beetles, Bill Gates, Mozart, and many other examples of mastery in talent.

Ten thousand hours! How many hours do you have in? Once you get to 10,000 hours can you now claim you are a master and be done?

Eric Butterworth, author of hundreds of essays and numerous best-selling books including “In the Flow of Life” and “Spiritual Economics”, as well as being a Unity Minister for 35 years, states:
_ “Ask the great athlete or the concert pianist or the successful actor if they arrived at the place where they need no further practice. They will tell you that the higher you climb in proficiency and public acceptance, the greater the need for practice.”_

I don’t know about you but to me this can sound overwhelming. But, if you break it down you already may well be on that path. How much time each day do you spend on your talent or passion? More than likely you may be past the beginning stages. If you haven’t started down the road to becoming a master in your true passion and talent, don’t worry. Now is the perfect time to start.

Finding your passion and following that path is true fulfillment in life. Remember mastery is not a destination, it is a journey. Just by committing to your desires and talents, you will be living each day in fulfillment, knowing you are living your mission. And, yes, things will naturally become easier.

George Leonard:
“The Master is the one who stays on the path, day after day, year after year. To try and fail and try again for as long as he lives.”

Stop participating in the rat race. Find what brings you joy and passion. Rekindle that passion in your current work or start to take the steps to bring that work, that talent, into your day-to-day life.

Walt Whitman:
“Oh, while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me shall ever take command of me.”

Stop participating in the rat race. Find what brings you joy and passion. Rekindle that passion in your current work or start to take the steps to bring that work, that talent, into your day-to-day life.
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About the Author:
Meisha Rouser, a professional life coach and speaker, has spent her entire life asking “why”. By studying other peoples’ success she has built a number of successful businesses and lives a rich and fulfilling life. Meisha offers a series of workshops and seminars, called the “Mastery Series”. You can learn more about Meisha Rouser at www.BeyondLeft.com.