There are times when strengths come effortlessly. Our innate ability to do certain things easier than others is truly a gift that we didn’t earn. There are other times when we master a skill by taking the time to cultivate it, moving from incompetence, through competence, onto mastery.
Earlier in this series we discovered the zone of geniusand how there are four zones that we operate in depending on our skill sets. To recap-
The zone of incompetence represents areas where we have no skills and we would be considered weak in comparison to others.
The zone of competence represents areas where we are as able as most other people to accomplish something and while our ability wouldn’t be considered a weakness, it certainly isn’t considered a strength…just yet.
The zone of excellence is achieved when we’ve mastered a skill, usually by repetition, time, and experience. This is often confused for the zone of genius but is not representative of the effortless abilities we have when we are in the ‘zone.’
The zone of genius is where we breath rare air. This zone is where our innate abilities come out. Time flies by and we could engage in activities effortlessly with the utmost competence.
Traveling from the zone of competence to the zone of excellence takes our skill set from mediocre to magnificent. Mastering skills and strengthening ourselves helps improve our confidence and capability. Here are some top tips to strengthen our skills and make them better.
Tip- Stop fearing the struggle
Tip- Do the work
Tip- Get some help
Top Tip: Stop fearing the struggle- People avoid struggling and seek comfort. This is what undermines strength building and makes it harder to move from mediocrity. Don’t fear the struggle. Things will be hard, but they will get easier. Be willing to look foolish, sloppy, or uncoordinated for a time. If you stick with it, you will achieve mastery.
Top Tip: Do the work- One of the reasons people don’t achieve mastery and cultivate strengths is work ethic. Studies show it takes 10,000 hours to achieve mastery in a skill. Be willing to do the work. Repetition builds strength and creates mastery.
Top Tip: Get Some Help- No one achieves great things on their own. You may have to walk out the steps but someone else can show you the right path to take. Getting help from a mentor, teacher…even a book can make a difference. If you are taking your skills to the next level, it’s important to learn from those who went ahead of you.
Sometimes good isn’t good enough. Transforming your strengths from mediocre to magnificent is possible if you commit and focus. You can master many skill sets by being intentional and applying effort.
