When Mastery Becomes Mediocrity

Injuries, surgery, swine flu, personal tragedy — nothing has derailed me and my commitment to mastery. In fact, all those incidents further cemented my focus and dedication to the path. Yet here I am, two months into my kitchen renovation, and I find myself derailed off the trail that used to be so easy for me.

As I retool and adapt my daily structure to get back on the right track, I have noticed that where mastery used to be present, mediocrity has quietly and covertly crept into my routine. Unmindful pushups that focus on quantity are ignoring the micro muscles that are so important in reinforcing my shoulder joints. Forms repetitions while my knee requires more rehabilitation are setting back any chance of recovery. It seems that while I was so focused on mastery, the approach I took on certain tasks -
while serving me well at the time, should have been adjusted to meet my needs better as I continued to evolve.

Lesson learned: Since the requirements for mastery evolve as I evolve, mindful application is key. Complacency breeds mediocrity.

“Do a few things at mastery versus many things at mediocrity.” - Robin Sharma (b. 1965)