I think 2 kinds of people read this newsletter. People on the path to Mastery and fulfilling their lifeās task and people who are moving away from it but are aware at some level that they need to find a way back.
The following are my notes on discovering you lifeās tasks from reading Robert Greeneās, Mastery:
Mastery cannot be pursued for it's own sake. Not everyone will be able to master every task. You will only be able to achieve Mastery if you discover your life's task. A task that is a matter of profound almost religious passion and calling.
Here are 5 Strategies for discovering your life's task:
1. Return to your origins - Primal inclination Strategy
What had attracted you as a child before you had the vocabulary for them
2. Occupy the perfect niche - The Darwinian Strategy
Narrow in to the smallest possible field or stack skills to develop new fields, either way the goal is to become a category of one.
3. Avoid the False Path - The Rebellion Strategy
Recognise that you are in a career for the 'wrong reasons', you are fighting against your nature, and moving away from your 'life's task'. Identify these wrong reasons and rebel against them.
4. Let Go of the past - The Adaptation Strategy
As you field evolves, evolve with it look ahead and be ready for the change. Your life's task might change in it's outward apperence, yet maintain it's integrity of purpose.
5.Find your way back - The life-or-death Strategy
Sucess and satisfaction comes not from setting and archiving goals, but from focusing on mastery and fulfilling your life's task.
I have employed each of these strategies on my own winding journey towards Mastery and fulfilling my lifeās task. The strategies still seem useful to me as I continue my journey, I hope they will be useful to you to!
X0X0
Adam Ming
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Love these strategies. This is a little different, but one thing I've been wondering about is the concept of mastery itself. I've vacillated between having a goal of becoming a master and a goal of remaining the learner. I love that the master gives me an intense focus and vision. And I love that the learner keeps me open and engaged and present-moment minded. I've wondered if I let go of the idea of master and focus on always being the learner, would mastery be a natural result? Anyway, now I'm just rambling, but I'm curious about your thoughts on the tension between these two concepts :)
Nice succinct read!