Vontarius Falls 's Key Ideas from Mastery
by Robert Greene

An all-encompassing obsession is required to sustain long-term mastery. Fixate on a higher purpose or mission that elevates the work beyond yourself. Make small choices that feed your obsession. Keep a journal to record inspirations and fuel your fire.  

Push yourself during growth periods with intensity of effort. Block off large stretches of time for undistracted work. Develop a daily routine and strict discipline. Challenge and pressure yourself continuously.  

Face difficulties that reveal and strengthen weaknesses. Overcome self-imposed restrictions and doubt through struggle. Build mental and emotional fortitude through confrontations and setbacks.  

Retreat periodically for recharging. Spend time in nature to reflect, gain clarity and come up with new ideas. Silence technology for undistracted contemplation. Gain a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

Learn from failures, which are an inevitable part of the path to mastery. Analyze mistakes dispassionately to understand what went wrong and what to fix. Rapidly adjust and resume work with even greater intensity. View failures as necessary steps in a long journey.

The key is to find the right balance between these forces - apprenticeship, detachment, obsession, intensity, overcoming resistance, solitude and learning from mistakes - and persist for years with passion, focus and resilience.