This here is something that completely changed my way of thinking after reading it so many times.
Also it has had a huge influence on how I live my life.
Sifu R. Langner
Mastery by Stewart Emery
It is remarkable how much mediocrity we live with, surrounding ourselves with daily reminders that the average is acceptable. Our world suffers from terminal mediocrity. Take a moment to assess all the things around you that encourage you to remain average. These things keep you powerless, unable to go beyond the limits that you have arbitrarily set for yourself. Take you first steps towards mastery by removing everything in your environment the represents mediocrity, removing your arbitrary limits. Try surrounding yourself with friends that expect more of you than you do. Didn't some of your best teachers, your coaches, your parents expect more of you?
On the path to mastery, erase any resentment towards masters. Develop compassion for yourself so that you can be in the presence of masters and grow from the experience .Rather than comparing yourself and resenting people who are masters, remain open and receptive; a let the experience be like planting a seed within you - with nourishment, it will grow into your own individual mastery.
Correction is essential in power and mastery. You see, we are all ordinary. But a master, rather in condemning himself for his ordinariness, he embraces his ordinariness and uses it as a foundation to build the extraordinary. Instead of giving up, like ordinary people do, a master uses his ordinariness to correct his errors, which is essential in the process towards attaining mastery. You must be able to correct yourself without condemning or invalidating yourself, accept the results and improve upon them.
Correct, don't protect.
