The reason is simple: such a person will be able to think beyond the moment and control the overall dynamic through careful strategizing. Feeling anxious and insecure, you will tend to turn conservative with your knowledge, preferring to fit into the group and sticking to the procedures you have learned.

Apprentice yourself in failure: When a machine malfunctions, it shows you where you need to improve it. Reading this book at this particular time felt like a drink of cold water in the desert for I have been thirsting after a practice that I could master. But Zen teaches that any little thing can be something to master, and that mastery is a way of thought, attitude, and life.

If you're always thinking about appearances, you can never attain the state of concentration that's necessary for effective learning and top performance. You possess a kind of inner force that seeks to guide you toward your Life’s Task— what you are meant to accomplish in the time that you have to live. Still, the book is targeted at those who can tolerate seeing life as a stage, and most people would prefer their own version of reality. In 2001, Robert released his second book, The Art of Seduction, which is more than a sequel to The 48 Laws; it is both a handbook on how to wield the ultimate form of power, and a detailed look at the greatest seducers in history. In the same way, mental and spiritual lassitude is often cured by decisive action or the clear intention to act.

What I really liked about this book is that it can be first used as an introduction to the topic of mastery but then it serves as a step by step guide to making mastery a part of your life.You need to develop your powers of concentration, and understand that trying to multitask will be the death of the process. Leonard is not saying we should seek to be masters in everything we do, but we should choose our passions and master those.