I’ve had the privilege of being able to pursue several different skills to a high-level and now that I’m a father (and soon to a second!), the ripple effects of pursuing mastery are becoming increasingly apparent and important.
One of the key ripple effects of pursuing mastery is that it has extended my “difficulty spectrum." By pushing myself to the edges of my abilities, I've enhanced my skills, mindsets, and habits to endure difficult situations and these traits are universally valuable and accessible to those who pursue something, anything, to the highest degree they can bear.
The price for admission is high (time, failure, effort, embarrassment) and it is terrifying to consistently put yourself on the line, but you come to learn and trust that the pay-off is worthwhile even if the goal isn’t always clear or attainable. This is where compounding kicks in, especially if you can take the skills and mindset and apply it to your “learning OS”, rather than simply your current craft. If you can do this, every additional skill you attempt to master becomes marginally easier and it impacts every other area of your life too.
