Why settle for mediocre when you could be a master?

If you genuinely want to be successful in your area of work, you have to change your perspective. Getting older doesn’t necessarily give you more experience — some of the most successful entrepreneurs are in their early 20’s.

The difference is successful entrepreneurs master one or two skills, which makes them extremely valuable to the marketplace, whereas the majority focus on being mediocre at fifty things.

There is so much content online; it’s overwhelming. We attend seminars, read books, watch videos, do courses and all this information leaves us paralysed.

I have been in this position, but I decided to make a change, a change I never looked back on. I want to share with you the strategies I practised to become a master in my skillset.

Master the fundamentals

Start being deliberate in what you learn. Don’t try to be the best at everything⁠ — typography, photography, web design, copywriting, videography etc. Be obsessed with the few things that can lead your life and business forward.

“You get paid for bringing value to the marketplace, and if you’re not very valuable, you don’t make much money”

Jim Rohn

Amateurs practice until they get it right, professionals practise until they can’t get it wrong. Being more intentional with what you study, read or listen to will set you apart from other people.

Set manageable goals

Start small! You cannot take on everything. Choose one of two skills to focus on and break that skill down into manageable goals.

First thing first, write down what your ultimate vision would be — your dream job, lifestyle, ambition.

Next, you have to reverse engineer your vision into achievable goals. Write down the top 5 goals you want to accomplish in the next 30 days but make sure they are related to your bigger vision.

Then break down your top 5 goals into weekly goals.
Week 1, what are your top 3 goals — what are the rewards?
Week 2, what are your top 3 goals — what are the rewards?
Week 3, what are your top 3 goals — what are the rewards?
Week 4, what are your top 3 goals — what are the rewards?

Setting goals gives you clarity on what you should be learning. It stops you from going off track and trying to digest little bits of useless knowledge in multiple disciplines.

Once your goals are clear, you can start to adopt them into your daily agenda, and I guarantee you will begin to see results. When you have mastered your goal, it’s only then that you can move on to the next steps.

Focus rather than intelligence

If you want to be a high achiever, mastering a new skill is not optional, it’s crucial for business achievement.

There is an assumption that being intelligent will lead to success — this isn’t necessarily true. Some of the most successful business people are not intelligent — knowledge is not power. It's what they do with what they know that leads to mastery.

Sometimes people treat success like it’s some form of wizardry. Everyone in this world has strengths and weaknesses, but the willingness to try something and to keep at it, day in and day out is what will set you apart from the majority. It's all within your control but it is up to you to put in the effort.

Summing it up

Be intentional with what you study, read or listen to — deliberate practice can help you maximise your potential.

Studies have proved that no matter your pre-existing skill level if you put the time and effort into deliberate learning, you will see some progress. The time and effort you put in have to be focused — structured, consistent and purposeful hard work. It takes time and should continuously push the limits of your abilities, but the results will be worth it.