A THREAD on key ideas from the book "The Art of Learning: A Journey in the Pursuit of Excellence" by Josh Waitzkin:
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The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process, and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity.
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The key to pursuing excellence is to embrace an organic, long-term learning process, and not to live in a shell of static, safe mediocrity.
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If your goal is to be mediocre, then you have a considerable margin for error.
You can get depressed when fired and mope around waiting for someone to call with a new job offer.
If you hurt your toe, you can take six weeks watching television and eating potato chips.
If your goal is to be mediocre, then you have a considerable margin for error.
You can get depressed when fired and mope around waiting for someone to call with a new job offer.
If you hurt your toe, you can take six weeks watching television and eating potato chips.
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There will be nothing learned from any challenge in which we don’t try our hardest.
Growth comes at the point of resistance.
We learn by pushing ourselves and finding what really lies at the outer reaches of our abilities.
There will be nothing learned from any challenge in which we don’t try our hardest.
Growth comes at the point of resistance.
We learn by pushing ourselves and finding what really lies at the outer reaches of our abilities.
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You have to make obstacles spur you to creative new angles in the learning process.
Let setbacks deepen your resolve.
You should always come off an injury or a loss better than when you went down.
You have to make obstacles spur you to creative new angles in the learning process.
Let setbacks deepen your resolve.
You should always come off an injury or a loss better than when you went down.
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I was unhindered by internal conflict—a state of being that I have come to see as fundamental to the learning process.
I was unhindered by internal conflict—a state of being that I have come to see as fundamental to the learning process.
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If I want to be the best, I have to take risks others would avoid, always optimizing the learning potential of the moment.
That said, there are times when the body needs to heal, but those are ripe opportunities to deepen the mental, technical, internal side of my game.
If I want to be the best, I have to take risks others would avoid, always optimizing the learning potential of the moment.
That said, there are times when the body needs to heal, but those are ripe opportunities to deepen the mental, technical, internal side of my game.
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One idea I taught was the importance of regaining presence and clarity of mind after making a serious error.
One idea I taught was the importance of regaining presence and clarity of mind after making a serious error.
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We must take responsibility for ourselves, and not expect the rest of the world to understand what it takes to become the best that we can become.
Great ones are willing to get burned time and again as they sharpen their swords in the fire.
We must take responsibility for ourselves, and not expect the rest of the world to understand what it takes to become the best that we can become.
Great ones are willing to get burned time and again as they sharpen their swords in the fire.
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In my experience, successful people shoot for the stars, put their hearts on the line in every battle, and ultimately discover that the lessons learned from the pursuit of excellence mean much more than the immediate trophies and glory.
In my experience, successful people shoot for the stars, put their hearts on the line in every battle, and ultimately discover that the lessons learned from the pursuit of excellence mean much more than the immediate trophies and glory.
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The real art in learning takes place as we move beyond proficiency, when our work becomes an expression of our essence.
The real art in learning takes place as we move beyond proficiency, when our work becomes an expression of our essence.
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Finally, we learn to be completely self-sufficient and create our own earthquakes, so our mental process feeds itself explosive inspirations without the need for outside stimulus.
Finally, we learn to be completely self-sufficient and create our own earthquakes, so our mental process feeds itself explosive inspirations without the need for outside stimulus.
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Mental resilience is arguably the most critical trait of a world-class performer, and it should be nurtured continuously.
Mental resilience is arguably the most critical trait of a world-class performer, and it should be nurtured continuously.
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Musicians, actors, athletes, philosophers, scientists, writers understand that brilliant creations are often born of small errors.
Musicians, actors, athletes, philosophers, scientists, writers understand that brilliant creations are often born of small errors.
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The path to artistic insight in one direction often involves deep study of another—the intuition makes uncanny connections that lead to a crystallization of fragmented notions.
The path to artistic insight in one direction often involves deep study of another—the intuition makes uncanny connections that lead to a crystallization of fragmented notions.
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Depth beats breadth any day of the week, because it opens a channel for the intangible, unconscious, creative components of our hidden potential.
Depth beats breadth any day of the week, because it opens a channel for the intangible, unconscious, creative components of our hidden potential.
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It is rarely a mysterious technique that drives us to the top, but rather a profound mastery of what may well be a basic skill set.
It is rarely a mysterious technique that drives us to the top, but rather a profound mastery of what may well be a basic skill set.
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Much of what separates the great from the very good is deep presence, relaxation of the conscious mind, which allows the unconscious to flow unhindered.
Much of what separates the great from the very good is deep presence, relaxation of the conscious mind, which allows the unconscious to flow unhindered.
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A key component of high-level learning is cultivating a resilient awareness that is the older, conscious embodiment of a child’s playful obliviousness.
A key component of high-level learning is cultivating a resilient awareness that is the older, conscious embodiment of a child’s playful obliviousness.
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The learning principle is to plunge into the detailed mystery of the micro in order to understand what makes the macro tick.
Our obstacle is that we live in an attention-deficit culture.
The learning principle is to plunge into the detailed mystery of the micro in order to understand what makes the macro tick.
Our obstacle is that we live in an attention-deficit culture.
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