Book Recommendation: Mastery

[rc]

Mastery by George Leonard

https://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Success-Long-Term-Fulfillment-Plume/dp/0452267560/sr=8-1/qid=1170475141/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-8332533-1289631?ie=UTF8&s=books

I got this book last week and have read through it twice.  I consider it good as Neuhaus 'Art of Playing Piano', as essential reading for any piano student.  A little book (176 pages), easy to read and FULL of useful concepts and ideas.  George Leonard draws on experience in flight training, tennis and aikido, as student and teacher, on mastery as he describes it "the mysterious process during which what is at first difficult becomes progressively easier and more pleasurable through practice".

It's on a general topic, not specific to piano.  Difficult to summarize, it could be called a description of the proper attitude to learning...  The path to mastery being a series of plateaus, as opposed to continual progress or instant-gratification.  Stressing regular practice, process orientation (as opposed to outcome orientation).

What he calls the five keys to mastery: 
Instruction - on the teacher-student relationship
Practice - we all know about this
Surrender - basically not letting your ego get in the way
Intentionality - goals, visualization, the mental game
The Edge - taking risks, pushing yourself.

There's an interesting chapter on homeostasis, which is the natural resistance to change.  A chapter on energy (motivation, optimism, honesty, priorities)... and a chapter on some common pitfalls to look out for.

Highly recommended.

(PS. funfact on the TV says that ancient romans used urine as mouthwash!)

[lichristine]

Ancient Romans also used to sell the mingled sweat and oil scraped from athletes as perfume.

[rc]

Ancient Romans also used to sell the mingled sweat and oil scraped from athletes as perfume.

These must be the TRUE reasons the Roman Empire fell...  They all liked to smell like sweat and pee.

I'd heard somewhere that musk, used in cologne, is cat sweat.  Or am I thinking of a Bloom County comic?

[berrt]

I'd heard somewhere that musk, used in cologne, is cat sweat.  Or am I thinking of a Bloom County comic?

Cats don't sweat...
B.

[Bob]

Thanks for the book review rc.

[rc]

Thanks for the book review rc.

 
YW, let me know what you think if you check it out!

Ok, I was definitely thinking of a comic then   They were squeezing buckets and buckets of sweat out of this dirty cat...