Seek mastery
This week's Interview is with Scott H. Young.
Seek mastery
Dan Pink’s 2011 book Drive threw a cat in amongst the pigeons about the quote unquote “common sense” view of motivation. Writing primarily about work, he pulled together research that showed external factors - money, ping pong tables, praise - were pretty transactional and had a fleeting effect on people in most roles.
But internal factors - in particular purpose, autonomy, and mastery - were the deep, long-term drivers of motivation. Pay people, of course. But don’t think that just hiking up their salary will hike up their motivation.
What I’ve come to learn about mastery, and this is without doubt a flash of the bleedingly obvious, is that it takes time. Oliver Burkman introduced me to the Finland Bus Terminal story and metaphor. I’ll give you the moral of the story now: stay on the bus. Here’s why.
A goodly number of buses leave from each platform. For the first number of kilometers, they all follow the same route. It’s only later on in the journey that they diverge and go their own separate ways.
When you start to practice a discipline, for the first number of years, you’ll be the same as everyone else. Your ideas will have been had by others, and not only that but done better by them. You’ll be dishearteningly, solidly mediocre.
But if you want mastery, your job is to stay on the bus. Keep traveling. At some point, your journey will divert, and the number of people you’re traveling with will shrink and keep shrinking. You’ll find your style, your voice, your signature move.
You’ll start moving towards mastery.
📕 My Guest: Scott H. Young
Scott is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, a podcast host, computer programmer, and an avid reader. He’s also an autodidact, who spends his time teaching people how to learn. Scott is the author of Ultralearning and Get Better at Anything, and he has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more.
🎧 Learn Better, Learn Faster: A Conversation with Scott H. Young
Scott reads two pages from The Principles of Teaching Based on Psychology by Edward Thorndike.
In our conversation we discuss:
Exploring Self-Learning Practices
Scott’s experiences as a self-learner, including challenges like the MIT Challenge and learning multiple languages, showcase the potential of self-directed learning to achieve remarkable educational goals.
The Role of Writing in Learning
Using ‘writing’ as a crucial tool for learning and thinking. How it assists in organizing thoughts and conveying complex ideas clearly.
The Road to Mastery
Mastery that involves perseverance and a deep commitment to practicing a discipline. The metaphor of staying on the bus highlights when personal and unique contributions to a field emerge after initial periods of learning and imitation.
Motivation in Learning
Motivation is grounded in the concept of autonomy and self-direction, as outlined by Self-Determination Theory. How selecting learning paths and projects enhances motivation, making the learning process more engaging and effective.
Practical Application of Learning Theories
Educational strategies based on practical applications of learning theories. The impact of Thorndike's work on formal discipline stresses the need for tailored educational methods that directly enhance skill acquisition and cognitive development.
Read the Interview
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