Are you ready to embark on a journey towards achieving greatness? Many dream of reaching the pinnacle of success, but few understand the path to get there. It’s not just about having grand aspirations; it’s about knowing the actionable steps to turn those dreams into reality.
In this article, we’re going to explore the art of achieving greatness – a roadmap that’s within your grasp. You don’t need to be a prodigy or possess extraordinary talents; what you need is a clear understanding of the path ahead.
So, how can you achieve greatness in your chosen field? Let’s dive right in and uncover the actionable techniques and strategies that will set you on the path to extraordinary success with insights from Mark Manson. Whether you aspire to be a top athlete, a renowned artist, a successful entrepreneur, or excel in any other domain, the journey to greatness begins with a few fundamental principles.
Step 1: Learn the Fundamentals
Mastery in any field starts with a deep understanding of the core principles that govern it. This first step—learning the fundamentals—is non-negotiable. It’s the foundation upon which all advanced skills and expertise are built. Without mastering the basic elements, you can’t hope to progress to higher levels of achievement. This may sound obvious, but it’s often overlooked in the pursuit of shortcuts or complex strategies.
The Power of the 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, serves as the core strategy for understanding the fundamentals of any skill. This principle, discovered by economist Vilfredo Pareto, shows that, in almost every aspect of life, a small portion of causes leads to the majority of the results. In other words, 20% of your efforts will account for 80% of your success. Recognizing and focusing on this “vital few” rather than the “trivial many” can make all the difference in your journey toward mastery.
To illustrate, think about a business. Studies show that 20% of customers contribute to 80% of the company’s revenue. In the same way, only a small portion of activities in any field will yield the majority of the results. In the context of self-improvement, this means identifying the high-impact areas that produce the most significant outcomes.
For example, in writing, people often spend countless hours brainstorming, drafting, and worrying about every word and sentence. While these efforts are important, research shows that the most significant improvement comes during the revision process. Editing is the stage that refines and transforms mediocre writing into something compelling. This might sound simple, but focusing on this key element—the “20%”—is what separates novice writers from experienced authors.
Identifying the Critical Leverage Points
The next crucial step is to identify the fundamental components that will have the greatest impact on your results. What is that 20%? Where should you focus your energy to ensure maximum progress?
Let’s look at the example of music. When you start learning an instrument, it can feel overwhelming because there are so many elements involved: scales, techniques, rhythms, and more. But if you focus on learning a handful of fundamental chord progressions and harmony rules, you can already play a huge portion of the songs people love to hear. By mastering these basic building blocks, you gain access to a vast range of music without getting bogged down by the minutiae of theory.
Similarly, in chess, the game can seem infinitely complex, with endless variations in moves. However, the top players focus on mastering core opening strategies, understanding mid-game tactics, and learning key endgame patterns. By focusing on these critical areas, they gain an edge over the majority of players who don’t know these essential moves. The effort here is not in learning every possible strategy, but in mastering the essential ones that come up over and over in each game.
Focus on What Drives Results
Understanding that not all actions are created equal is key. Once you’ve identified the core fundamentals of any field, it’s essential to focus your efforts there, rather than spreading yourself too thin. The key here is efficiency. You’re looking to maximize the results from your investment of time and energy.
Think about how you would approach learning a new skill like drawing. Many people believe that becoming a great artist is about mastering every technique: from shading to proportions, to intricate textures. But in reality, if you focus on learning how to draw basic shapes and mastering perspective, you’ve already set yourself up for success. These fundamentals create a foundation that enables you to build more advanced techniques later on. As your understanding deepens, your work will become more intricate, but you’ll always come back to these fundamental principles.
Similarly, in sports, the most successful athletes don’t focus on every single aspect of their performance. Instead, they hone in on the key components that give them a competitive edge. For example, in basketball, learning how to perfect your shooting form, your footwork, and defensive positioning can take you far, even if you’re not focusing on every advanced move or play. These core skills become the bedrock of your performance and often make the difference between mediocrity and excellence.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Learning Resources
Finding the right resources to learn the fundamentals is vital. This could mean taking a well-structured introductory course, reading foundational books, or learning from a mentor who has already mastered the subject. Without good resources, you risk wasting time learning techniques that may not be as effective or relevant. A good teacher or mentor will ensure that you focus on what truly matters—the 20% that will propel you forward.
In many cases, particularly in the early stages, there may be an overwhelming amount of information available. It’s easy to get lost in endless videos, articles, and courses, all claiming to provide shortcuts to success. The key here is to discern which resources actually help you understand the basics. For example, if you’re learning coding, rather than jumping into complex algorithms, focusing on learning the syntax and structure of a single programming language can be far more impactful in the early stages.
Many introductory courses, especially in formal education settings, are structured in a way that often doesn’t emphasize the most critical skills. They may give you a broad overview but fail to show you where to focus your energy. That’s why it’s important to develop a self-awareness early on—by learning to identify the 20% of a subject that drives 80% of the results. This is often a skill that comes with experience, and it’s something that separates those who master skills quickly from those who never quite reach their potential.
The Role of Consistent Practice
While identifying the right fundamentals is essential, consistent practice is what makes them stick. This is where most people falter—they may understand the concepts, but they fail to apply them enough to see real improvement. Mastery isn’t just about understanding the theory; it’s about consistently applying these core elements until they become second nature.
Think about it this way: when learning to play a sport, it’s not enough to read about techniques or watch videos. You need to physically practice the drills, consistently repeating the movements until they become instinctive. In the same way, when learning a new language, you don’t just memorize vocabulary and grammar rules. You must practice speaking, listening, reading, and writing every day to reinforce these core principles.
The more you engage with the fundamentals, the quicker you will internalize them. Over time, these core skills become automatic, freeing up mental energy to focus on more advanced techniques. But, without consistent practice, even the most critical fundamentals can fade away. This is why, in any pursuit, whether it’s learning an instrument or becoming a top-tier athlete, the emphasis must be on repetition and practice.
By learning and consistently applying the fundamentals, you set yourself up for continuous growth and improvement. As you continue to develop your skills, you’ll find that your understanding of the subject deepens, allowing you to build on the basics and gradually move into more advanced territory. This solid foundation will enable you to perform at higher levels, faster, and more effectively than if you were to chase every new technique or approach without mastering the core principles first.
Step 2: Arrange a System for Consistent Feedback
Feedback is the fuel that drives improvement. Without it, growth becomes stagnant, and it becomes nearly impossible to assess your own progress accurately. The second critical step in becoming great at anything is setting up a system where you receive feedback consistently and reliably. Feedback helps you understand where you’re excelling, where you’re failing, and most importantly, what adjustments need to be made. It’s an essential ingredient in the process of refinement and iteration, allowing you to correct course and improve faster.
The Necessity of Feedback
Feedback comes in many forms, from formal evaluations to informal comments from peers, and even self-reflection. It is indispensable because it prevents you from working in isolation, without any sense of how well you’re doing. Without it, improvement would rely solely on trial and error, making the process slower and less efficient.
In any field, whether you’re learning a language, improving at a sport, or becoming a writer, you can’t improve if you don’t know where you’re going wrong. For example, a writer who never shares their work or doesn’t seek critique will never know which aspects of their writing need improvement—be it clarity, structure, or style. A basketball player who only practices in isolation without ever facing an opponent will never know if their shots are accurate or if their movements are efficient.
Feedback allows you to course-correct in real-time, adjusting your approach based on the insights provided by someone else’s perspective. It’s an ongoing cycle where every piece of feedback informs the next step you take. Without feedback, your improvement is guesswork. With it, you have a clear path to follow, always honing in on the areas that will have the greatest impact.
The Types of Feedback
Feedback can be broken down into different types: formal and informal, internal and external. Formal feedback often comes from an expert—whether it’s a coach, mentor, teacher, or evaluator—who provides structured, in-depth criticism based on your performance. Informal feedback may come from peers, colleagues, or even from feedback gathered through surveys or online platforms.
Internal feedback is when you reflect on your own work, assess it with a critical eye, and try to recognize areas of improvement. This could involve reviewing your performance after each practice, analyzing mistakes, and identifying areas where you can do better. While this is essential, it’s limited because our own perception is often clouded by biases and subjective feelings. That’s where external feedback becomes invaluable. External feedback offers fresh perspectives and objective assessments that you may not have considered.
Creating a Feedback System
To ensure feedback is consistent and reliable, you must intentionally create a system for receiving it. This requires commitment and a willingness to be vulnerable, as feedback often involves criticism. Without regular feedback, it’s easy to get complacent and continue practicing inefficiently, believing you’re improving when, in fact, you’re not.
To build this system, you first need to identify reliable sources of feedback. For some, this could be a mentor, coach, or teacher who is an expert in your field. They can provide targeted feedback based on years of experience and a thorough understanding of what works and what doesn’t. For others, it might mean joining a community of like-minded learners or engaging in a peer review process where everyone offers constructive criticism on each other’s work. This approach helps ensure that feedback comes from diverse perspectives and isn’t one-dimensional.
A strong feedback system might also include regular checkpoints to assess progress. This could be as formal as weekly performance reviews or as casual as a monthly check-in with a colleague or friend who can offer constructive feedback. The more structured and predictable this feedback loop is, the easier it will be for you to continuously refine and improve your skills.
The Pitfalls of Avoiding Feedback
One of the biggest obstacles to growth is the avoidance of feedback. Many people are afraid of criticism. They believe that receiving feedback will undermine their self-esteem, tarnish their ego, or confirm their fears of inadequacy. This is particularly true when people are emotionally attached to their work. When the work becomes a reflection of the self, feedback feels like a personal attack rather than a valuable learning opportunity.
For example, artists often fall into the trap of thinking that their creations are an extension of themselves. If their work is criticized, they might feel personally hurt or invalidated. Similarly, in business, entrepreneurs may become overly attached to their vision for a product or idea, making them reluctant to receive input from others. However, when you refuse to accept feedback, you’re essentially stopping your own growth. The only way to truly improve is by acknowledging that your current understanding of your craft is not perfect and that outside perspectives can help you identify blind spots and weaknesses.
The fear of criticism is often rooted in ego. If you identify too strongly with your work or success, any form of criticism can feel like an existential threat. But the reality is that ego prevents improvement. It locks you in a loop where you’re constantly protecting your self-image, instead of focusing on what’s truly important—getting better. A healthy relationship with feedback means being able to separate your identity from your work and viewing criticism as a tool for improvement, rather than a judgment of your worth.
The Ego’s Role in Feedback
Ego is both a friend and foe when it comes to receiving feedback. On one hand, a certain amount of ego is necessary to give you confidence and self-assurance in your abilities. It helps you push through self-doubt and take on challenges. On the other hand, when your ego becomes too fragile, it hinders your growth. It leads to defensiveness, self-delusion, and an inability to accept that your performance is not yet at its best.
A person with a fragile ego may be unable to accept constructive criticism, as they feel it threatens their sense of self-worth. This type of individual might brush off feedback, thinking, “I’m already good enough” or “People just don’t understand my brilliance.” Unfortunately, this is a surefire way to stagnate. They may not realize it, but they are holding themselves back from reaching their true potential.
This is why working with a coach or mentor can be so beneficial. A coach serves as an external check on your ego. A good coach doesn’t just praise your successes—they also challenge your assumptions, point out your weaknesses, and force you to confront uncomfortable truths. This type of feedback can be difficult to accept at first, but over time, it becomes one of the most valuable tools in your development. A coach helps you stay accountable, both to your goals and to your own growth. They can help you identify when your ego is interfering with your progress and help you refocus on your work rather than your image.
The Role of Self-Reflection in Feedback
Self-reflection is an integral part of any feedback process. While external feedback helps identify blind spots, internal reflection allows you to process the feedback in a meaningful way. By regularly assessing your own work and progress, you can build a deeper understanding of your strengths and areas for improvement.
Self-reflection doesn’t mean simply patting yourself on the back for what you’ve done well; it’s about being brutally honest with yourself. What did you do well? What could you have done better? Were there any patterns that emerged in your mistakes? Regular self-reflection allows you to integrate the feedback you receive into your future actions, rather than just hearing it and moving on.
One practical approach to self-reflection is to keep a journal or log of your practice sessions, performances, or any other work you’re doing. After each session, write down what went well and what didn’t. Note any feedback you’ve received and how you plan to incorporate it into your next practice or project. Over time, this journal will become a record of your progress and a valuable tool for continual improvement.
The Impact of Consistent Feedback
When you build a system of consistent feedback, it helps you keep track of your improvement over time. You can compare where you were six months ago to where you are now, and identify patterns that you might not have noticed in the moment. Feedback not only helps you improve immediately but also gives you a long-term perspective on your development. It acts as both a mirror and a guide, helping you stay focused on what truly matters and preventing you from becoming complacent.
Over time, this feedback system will build momentum. As you implement the changes suggested by others and continue refining your work, you’ll begin to see tangible improvements. The feedback loop becomes a cycle of progress—each round of critique leads to new breakthroughs, and each breakthrough leads to more refined work. This ongoing process is the key to continuous improvement, ensuring that you are always moving toward your goal, rather than staying stagnant.
Step 3: Put in the Time and Iterate
The final step in mastering any skill—and the one that separates those who succeed from those who falter—is the commitment to putting in the time and effort necessary to iterate. This step is often the hardest for many people because it requires a level of perseverance, dedication, and long-term focus that can seem daunting. While the first two steps—learning the fundamentals and setting up a system for feedback—are crucial, they are only useful if you put in the work to apply and refine them consistently over time. This is where true mastery begins.
The Myth of Overnight Success
Before we dive into the details of how to put in the work, it’s important to address a common misconception that plagues many aspiring achievers: the myth of overnight success. We are constantly bombarded with stories of people who seem to have achieved greatness almost by chance. We read about self-made billionaires, chart-topping musicians, or viral influencers who appear to have shot to fame in the blink of an eye. These stories often present a distorted image of success, leaving out the years of unseen labor and sacrifice that preceded their breakthroughs.
The reality is that no one achieves greatness without immense effort, long hours, and significant setbacks along the way. This is the harsh truth that many people ignore or refuse to acknowledge. The Beatles, for example, didn’t just show up on the world stage and immediately create timeless music. They spent countless hours performing in small, obscure clubs in Hamburg, Germany, for no money and with little recognition. Their grind lasted for years before they became the global icons we know today. Similarly, entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos did not have their billion-dollar ideas overnight. They worked for years, refining their concepts, battling setbacks, and tirelessly iterating on their ideas.
The 10,000-Hour Rule
The notion that success comes with time and iteration is often captured in the “10,000-hour rule” popularized by author Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell’s research suggested that in order to achieve world-class expertise in any field, an individual needs to commit around 10,000 hours of focused practice. While the exact number of hours may vary depending on the person and the field, the core principle remains: there are no shortcuts.
This idea is supported by the principle of deliberate practice. Deliberate practice is not just about repetition—it’s about making every effort count. Each practice session should have a clear goal and should focus on specific areas of improvement. The key to deliberate practice is pushing beyond your comfort zone, constantly challenging yourself to grow. This is where feedback, which we discussed earlier, becomes crucial. You need feedback to adjust your approach and ensure that each hour of practice brings you closer to mastery.
The 10,000-hour rule is a reminder that real expertise doesn’t come from sporadic bursts of effort or brief periods of intense focus. It’s the accumulation of sustained practice, over a long period, that leads to mastery. So, if you’re looking for shortcuts or fast fixes, you’re likely to be disappointed. The journey to greatness requires patience, persistence, and, above all, time.
Failing Faster to Succeed Sooner
One of the key components of the time and iteration process is failure. In fact, failure is an essential part of growth. Every failure provides valuable lessons that can only be learned through experience. Yet, failure is something that most people try to avoid at all costs. We live in a culture that praises success and often looks down on failure, but the reality is that failure is the stepping stone to success.
The faster you fail, the quicker you can learn from those failures, adjust your approach, and improve. Think about it like this: if you’re practicing a new skill, you will inevitably make mistakes. But if you never try, or if you slow down in fear of failure, you’re denying yourself the chance to learn. Each mistake carries a lesson, and the quicker you make those mistakes, the faster you can adapt and refine your abilities.
This is why the concept of “failing faster” is so critical. It’s not about avoiding failure but rather embracing it as part of the process. In fact, failing quickly and often is a sign of progress. It shows that you’re taking risks, experimenting, and pushing the boundaries of your knowledge and skill set. As you accumulate failures, you accumulate experiences that, when reflected upon and adjusted for, lead you to success.
The Importance of Iteration
Iteration is the continuous process of refining, adjusting, and improving upon your work. It is about repeating tasks with the goal of bettering them. Without iteration, you remain stuck at a certain level, unable to evolve. In fact, iteration is the very essence of growth and improvement.
Think about the creation of a product. In the early stages, it might not be perfect, but by releasing a prototype, gathering feedback, and refining it based on that feedback, you move closer to the ideal. This is true for everything—whether it’s learning a new skill, building a business, or creating art. Iteration allows you to gradually improve and perfect your work, making small but significant changes with each cycle.
In music, for example, a songwriter might start with a basic melody and lyrics. But through countless iterations, the song is refined, the words are reworked, and the sound is polished. In this way, iteration is less about achieving perfection immediately and more about continuous improvement, making your work more cohesive and polished over time. With each cycle, the result becomes more finely tuned.
The same applies to anything you want to master. In sports, athletes continuously refine their techniques, whether it’s their swing, their shooting form, or their footwork. These aren’t minor adjustments but rather deliberate refinements that accumulate over time. This process of iteration involves focusing on what needs improvement, applying the feedback, and then practicing again, making the necessary changes and pushing your limits with each cycle.
The Role of Consistency and Commitment
While failure and iteration are important, none of it matters if you’re not consistent. Consistency is what transforms occasional effort into long-term success. The process of becoming great at something requires showing up day after day, month after month, and year after year. It’s about making a commitment to your growth and sticking with it through the inevitable ups and downs.
Consistency doesn’t mean doing the same thing over and over again without change; it means engaging in purposeful, focused practice that builds on itself over time. For example, if you’re learning an instrument, consistency might mean practicing for 30 minutes every day. But that practice should be deliberate and targeted. It’s about making sure that each practice session is adding value to your growth and bringing you closer to mastery.
Building the habit of consistent practice is essential, as it leads to compounded growth. Just like compound interest grows exponentially over time, your skills will grow exponentially if you consistently put in the effort. If you skip practice or take long breaks, you risk losing momentum, and all the progress you’ve made could slip away. Consistency, paired with iteration and feedback, is the ultimate combination for success.
The Payoff of Time and Effort
The payoff of time and effort is gradual but undeniable. As you accumulate hours of practice, you’ll start to notice subtle improvements that you might not have seen initially. These improvements might be small at first, but over time, they add up. It’s important to be patient during this process because, as the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” The more time you spend iterating, the closer you get to mastery.
When you look back after thousands of hours of deliberate practice, you’ll realize that you’ve become a different person—not just in terms of skill but in terms of mindset. The persistence, patience, and work ethic you’ve developed will serve you well in all areas of life, not just in the area you’ve been working to improve.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve discovered the secrets to achieving greatness, it’s time to take action. Imagine a future where your dreams aren’t just aspirations, but tangible realities. Picture yourself excelling in your chosen field, whether it’s business, art, sports, or any other pursuit close to your heart.
You have the tools, the knowledge, and the determination. Remember, greatness isn’t reserved for the chosen few; it’s within your reach. The path may be challenging, but every step forward brings you closer to your extraordinary potential.
So, don’t wait. Start today. Embrace the fundamentals, welcome feedback, and be prepared for the hours of dedication ahead. Your journey to greatness may not be instant, but it will be remarkable. It’s time to turn your dreams into a narrative of triumph. Take that first step, and let your greatness shine!
Are you ready to make it happen? Your journey to greatness begins now.