Have you settled to become pretty good with the skills most important to your work performance?  What greater difference might you make if you would continued to improve to become great with those skills?

With some skills we settle for average.  I will never be considered a great golfer, but only average on any given day.  It’s a hobby for me and not a passion.

With some skills we wouldn’t settle for average.  We push ourselves for continuous improvement to become great at certain skills.  A level of skill mastery is the clear and meaningful goal that we are engaged in.  While I am still learning, I’ve grown to become better than average with coaching others to learn and to excel in their work.  It’s a passion for me and not a hobby.

If you fail to clearly distinguish what skill(s) you are learning to become great with, you are just roaming through life as a hobbyist would be.

Rationally determine what skill or skills you will become great with and commit to learn your way.  From focus comes growth.

“There are clear distinctions between what it takes to be decent, what it takes to be good, what it takes to be great, and what it takes to be among the best. If your goal is to be mediocre, then you have a considerable margin for error. You can get depressed when fired and mope around waiting for someone to call with a new job offer. If you hurt your toe, you can take six weeks watching television and eating potato chips.”   —  Josh Waitzkin  —

MITM