I’m an average person, just like many of you. But I’ve developed an obsession: learning how to learn.
The quest for knowledge and self-improvement led me to study the lives of geniuses, prodigies, and high performers—individuals who seem to operate on a different level. What made them so special?
How did they achieve what seemed impossible?
When we think about people like Steve Jobs, Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, or Abraham Lincoln, something stands out. None of them had conventional academic success. Steve Jobs dropped out. Tesla never graduated. Einstein got bad grades. Edison was self-taught, and Lincoln was homeschooled.
According to the norms of formal education, these people weren’t supposed to be anything but average. And yet, they went on to change the world.
So what set them apart? The answer is simple: obsession for mastery.
As Robert Greene describes it, “Mastery — the feeling that we have a greater command of reality, other people, and ourselves.” That obsession to understand reality, control one’s mind, and navigate the world with focus and simplicity is what transformed these people from ordinary to extraordinary.
Masters don’t just perform; they turn the impossible into the ordinary. But how do they get there? And more importantly, how can we?
The Stages of Mastery
To achieve mastery, you have to move through several stages. Think of it as a journey—a journey of learning, failing, and eventually mastering a skill. Here’s a breakdown of those stages:
1. Unconscious Incompetence (Ignorance)
This is the starting point. You don’t even know what you don’t know. You’re unaware of your weaknesses and might not see the need for improvement. It’s the land of ignorance.
2. Conscious Incompetence (Awareness)
Now, you’ve become aware of your limitations. This is where most people quit. The challenge seems insurmountable, and frustration sets in. However, this is also the first awakening call. It’s the point where you realize how much work lies ahead.
3. Conscious Competence (Learning)
This is the stage of effortful learning. You begin to perform well, but everything requires focus and hard work. One mistake can undo hours of effort, and every success feels earned. If mastery were climbing a mountain, this would be the final but steepest climb.
4. Unconscious Competence (True Mastery)
This is the final stage. Think of Mozart with a piano, Stephen Curry with 3-pointers, or Feynman with physics. It’s associated with the state of flow where your skills are so deeply ingrained in your subconscious that it takes more effort to do it wrong than right. At this point, mastery is second nature.
How to Become a Master Faster
Getting past those first two stages of confusion and frustration is the hardest part. But if you’re reading this, I’m sure you’re ready for the challenge. So how can you move towards mastery faster?
i. Be Obsessed with Truth
Your North Star for learning should always be the pursuit of truth. As children, we naturally thirst for knowledge. As adults, we sometimes lose this. To master anything, you need to rediscover that thirst and direct it toward uncovering reality, however uncomfortable it might be.
ii. Develop a Radar for Learning
Most of us shy away from discomfort. When faced with challenges, we tend to blame others or the situation, or we simply run away. But discomfort is where real learning happens. According to cognitive load theory, the struggle is necessary for growth. Instead of avoiding it, lean into it.
iii. Plant Your Tree of Knowledge
Think of knowledge like a tree. The trunk is your core understanding, and the branches and leaves represent the details. Most people try to pick up leaves without strengthening their trunk. Masters, on the other hand, focus on building strong foundations (the trunk) that can withstand any challenge. Strengthen your core knowledge, and the details will follow.
iv. Practice Higher-Order Thinking
There are two types of thinking:
Lower order: memorization, understanding, applying.
Higher order: analyzing, evaluating, creating.
The more you engage in higher-order thinking (making connections between ideas, analyzing, and evaluating), the better you remember and understand the material.
Instead of merely reading, use analogies. Instead of memorizing facts, teach them to someone else. Higher-order thinking automatically fills in the gaps of lower-order understanding.
v. Zoom In and Zoom Out
Your brain isn’t interested in what doesn’t make sense. It discards what it sees as irrelevant. To truly learn, you need to both zoom in on the details and zoom out to see the bigger picture. When the big picture makes sense, the smaller details will stick.
The key is to constantly switch between these two perspectives.
The Pursuit of Mastery: A Lifelong Journey
Mastery isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s a journey that requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to push through discomfort. But the rewards of true mastery are well worth the effort.
Masters have the ability to see the world differently, to control their craft with ease, and to turn the impossible into the ordinary.
Most people will never get there because they’re unwilling to endure the early stages of failure and frustration. But if you stay committed to the process, continually strive for growth, and follow the principles laid out here, you can reach that state of unconscious competence, where mastery becomes second nature.
In the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “The best among you are those who have the best manners and character.” (Sahih Bukhari)
Mastery isn’t just about skill. It’s about becoming the best version of yourself. It’s about character, discipline, and a deep understanding of the world around you. Keep learning, keep pushing, and never stop striving for mastery.
