“Consistency of practice is the mark of the master.” George
Leonard
In a long moment of reflection, I pondered on the distinctive
quality of a few gems of the world; the ones who tend to find it easy to do
something spectacular, while most of us rarely go beyond the level of average. And
the difference maker that I find is essentially in their attitude and approach
to how they work.
In addition, the common excuses that we make are not the real
reason why only a few minds are influential experts in their fields and too
many of us are mere dilettantes.
Excuses like, “I am not a star only because I am not as
talented as Michael Jordan.”
Or, “The competition of my industry is just too harsh, that’s
why I can make a profit.”
Or, “I am not doing well at school because the courses are
just too difficult to grasp.”
Generally, all these apparent reasons for mediocrity are
nothing more than excuses; the one factor that can override many limitations we
face is our attitude and approach to how we do our work.
To make this clear, let me illustrate the two polar
approaches of a dilettante and a master. And at the end of this article, you
can confirm whether you are on your way to becoming an expert or not—with
regards to how you handle your craft.
How dilettantes
Work
“It is raining now,” he says, “so I don’t think I can
practice my craft today. I will rather take some tea and watch a good movie. I
have been working hard for a few days. I deserve a little rest.” After all, ‘all
work and no play make Jack, a dull boy.’ he argues.
That’s a classic moment in the life of amateurs. Their
attitude and approach to their work is often dictated by external conditions
and negative internal moods.
Yes, they show up for work, and work superbly well, but only
when the conditions are perfect, their mood is awesome and they are feeling really
great.
Any time they encounter negative conditions, internally or externally,
they don’t pay their darn due for that day. For this reason, they dabble their
way through life without a mastery of an essential skill that they want.
But masters approach their work in an inspiringly different
way.
How Masters
Work
In the same day situation as the above, a master will say. “Come
heat or cold, I can’t afford to miss a day of practice.” Masters pay their due
on any day. Because they thoroughly understand that the practical proof of their
commitment is by keeping every session of their rehearsal.
On this point, I recently read a leadership book by Mike Murdock,
wherein he mentions the words of a bestselling fiction writer with regard to
how he works and lives. He says: “I get up at the same time every morning. I
start writing at 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. each afternoon. I do it every day.
It is a habit.”
This ability to show every day, to show-up and deliver, no
matter what, (especially when it is easier not to) is extremely important that
I have come to conclude that it is not only the difference between masters from
amateurs. It is also what separates the great nations from the rest of the
world.
Now, it is your turn…
Decide to
Live and Work like a Master
As you can see, both masters and dilettantes are ambitious
enough to have goals to aim at but what separates them is not necessarily in having
grand goals but in their level of commitment to the goals they set. As George Leonard
points out for us; the discipline of unremitting consistency is the overriding mark
of a true master.
Masters always manage to show up for their most important
work, but dilettantes are frequently at the mercy of their caprices and motivation.
Masters make themselves do what they need to do, when they need to do it, whether
they feel like it or not, but typical dilettantes approach their work in the
exact opposite way.
Since awareness precedes choices. I hope I have done a little
to help you make a permanent move into the class of masters with regards to how
you live and work.
In closing, I will leave you with the words of the author of ‘Pillars
of Prosperity,’ James Allen as a parting gift to aid your resolution in this respect.
He said: “A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can
command himself; that he cannot coerce the will of others but he can mold and
master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek
guidance of him who is the master of himself.”
And only those who are masters of themselves can truly be the
masters of anything else.
