“This is the fastest way to learn in the long run.”

Actually what you say, I am often repeating it. I really like to analyse people or anything. I like to understand the root of the failure.

Often when you will see people fail at school, at work, or anything. It is because of their way to learn often.

If you see someone taking 15 hours rather than 5 hours. It is also often a part of how they do it (learning for example). That is why I have quoted “This is the fastest way to learn in the long run.” as a very important sentence.

At school, we have probably been similar. We need very low time to achieve what other achieve. I have skipped a year (could have skipped a load, but parent did not want till I grow up and had the decision). Actually I was often unchallenged I guess… and that probably helped me being lazy (to my perspective/expectation at less)

(Maybe it will inspire you build up example) I often give the example of a book when you study. Lets say a Mathematic book. If you need to master 5 chapters let’s say and you go to chapter 2, without have mastered chapter 1, etc. And then you advance of chapter, just because INSIDE of you, you say, OMG! I have to reach chapter 5 by X days… well you are gonna fail. If you master the basic and then move on (just as you say). Then you will move on CORRECTLY. And actually chapter 3,4,5 will actually (or usually I should say) be WAY easier as you master the basic of it.

Often if you are all-around good (intellectual, logic, sports), you get good faster in other related field. I probably forgot most math formula, etc. But I am sure if I take a new class or attack a new topic involving math. I will be able to be #1. That is the same with basic skills. If you master them, understand them. You will get better faster with complex.

To resume, what I see in Steve’s post (and my thought) is this:

- Master the basics and more you advance, it will make more sense and often be way easier.
- Doing it good [and take the time it needs], often lead to long-term efficiency. (It may not look productive at first, but in the end, you will sure be the turtle that go a boost and beat the rabbit)
- Always aim to be the champion! That is quality of most winners (myself include!) I know. They believe in themself, they aim high, they want to be the master.

Note:
Now, I need to master basic of english. I am “ok” but I am probably far from being good. It not being my native language is not an excuse as I use English daily.

Even if we often [almost naturally] apply a recipe that make us good in almost everything doesn’t mean we will always take the correct step (start from basic) in everything we do! So it is good to remind ourself. To practice. Etc.

Regarding mastery, I really like Gerald Weinberg’s approach to mastery, plateauing, and learning curves in his book “How to Become a Technical Leader”. Actually, IMHO, anything by Gerald Weinberg is worth reading.

GBGames, if you haven’t already read it, the book “Now Discover Your Strengths” is a good book that discusses exactly what you are talking about. Namely, focusing your efforts primarily on improving your strengths, rather than trying to be “well rounded”, while still keeping your significant weaknesses in check, but not wasting too much time on them.

However, the practice of “good enough” fails when you try to apply it to foundational skills which build on one another. These foundational skills are different for everyone depending on their career path. But fairly universal ones would include reading, writing, getting organized, maintaining one’s health, and communicating effectively with fellow human beings.

Lacking a key foundational skill is like being 100 pounds overweight. It makes everything you do a lot harder, slower, and less efficient, and it drains energy that could be used for other things.

I’ve spent years thinking that being well-rounded was more important than focusing on any one skill. I know enough about programming to know how to program, but not enough to call myself a programmer. I know enough about system administration to configure and run my GNU/Linux system, but not enough to call myself a system administrator. I know enough about writing to write grammatically correct letters and articles, but not enough to call myself a writer.

And on and on. I knew enough to be be “good enough”, and I thought it was satisfactory.

Then I found myself looking for full-time work for the first time in my life. Employers are looking for experts: expert programmers, expert web designers, expert database admins, etc. No one is looking for someone who knows a little bit of everything.

So when I read Covey’s line, “The enemy of the great is the good”, it really hit home for me. I spend my time trying to become a master at programming in C++ since my prior education was mediocre at best. I want to be an expert at game development, even though my last full game was a Pac-man clone in QBasic spaghetti code.

I can no longer pretend to myself that being “good enough” is good enough. I need to reasses my goals and habits to see what needs to be brought out of mediocrity and pushed to excellence.