Just finished “Mastery” by George Leonard.
Here’s the thing — it’s not some flashy, 0-to-100, “hack your way to greatness” type book.
It’s the opposite.
Leonard basically smacks you in the face with a truth you already know but don’t want to admit:
Real growth isn’t a straight line. It’s plateaus.
- You learn, you stall, you get bored, you push through… and then you pop to the next level.
- Most people quit on the plateau because it feels like nothing’s happening.
- But the plateau is where the actual transformation is cooking.
He talks about the 3 archetypes that never master anything:
- The Dabbler — loves the honeymoon phase, quits when it’s not exciting anymore.
- The Obsessive — pushes too hard, burns out fast.
- The Hacker — gets good enough, then coasts forever.
If I’m honest, I’ve been all three at different points.
In my first year building the agency? Obsessive. Pure caffeine, 14-hour days, living on the dopamine of quick wins.
Later, in other areas of life? Dabbler — jump in, get hyped, then bounce when results slowed.
The big takeaway:
- Mastery is choosing the long game.
- It’s falling in love with the process even when the scoreboard isn’t moving.
- It’s realizing the plateaus are the work.
Sounds simple. It’s not.
Because it means giving up the need to constantly “see” progress.
Anyway — if you’re in the middle of a boring stretch right now, don’t mistake it for failure.
You might just be right where you’re supposed to be.
