The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance by Josh Waitzkin

Josh shares his journey of victory in various fields throughout his life that lead him to write this book. From world champion chess guru to becoming a world champ in Tai Chi Chuan he has truly mastered the art of learning.

Its not necessary to say that he is the best in these fields alone but more so that he has become the best in understanding the art of learning. He has adopted a principled approach to learning that has allowed him to separate success from failure.

The art of learning!

How often do we feel that perhaps it’s just that we are not great at a particular skill or ability? We give up, resign to the task of learning at all and move onto the next best thing.

We can retire to success by accepting that our limitations are reality rather than merely a mindset and belief. By accepting an excuse to allow us to avoid challenge and/or adversity.

Sometimes it may just be that our methods and process in learning something new is actually limited by the way we do so.

Our patience is certainly an area that we do not tolerate and neither does society or the education system. We are moulded and grouped in a vain view that we will all learn following the same rules.

We also accept that the current practice in whatever field that may be has one approach to mastery and therefore we potentially do not challenge the status quo.

He explains the story that perhaps some of us can share where by a new student starts to learn a form of martial arts and becomes all so excited with hope that in no time he will be jumping around like Jackie Chan. The classes, too, are structured accordingly.

It is this approach that is limited. He believes that in order to advance you need to master one skill thoroughly first so that all the other moves become more fluid.

He believes in changing or breaking the rules. Not to follow the standard process that has been accepted as the norm or not to be afraid to challenging the rules. I think we can all follow this approach in whatever path it is we choose.

He tells us how he learnt the game of chess in reverse, simply one technique he has used to master the art of learning.

I am slowly realising that it is the art of learning that seems a common trend among the successful. The ability to do the opposite and challenge mediocrity may be the way to kiss mediocrity good-bye and master your game.

I believe it is the process that we follow that counts in reaching our pinnacle in our success and yet sometimes it is the process that we do wrong, do inconsistently, or do not do at all and just live with hope.

It is not all about the one off win but taking each and everyday with a systematic approach.

In this book Josh unwinds the clock and reveals his methods and techniques he followed in order to become the world champion. So if your looking to master the industry your in or become the expert at a particular sport or skill this may well be worth a read.

If this book sounds of interest you can purchase The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance

Please leave your thoughts, comments & questions below.

Peace, passion and purpose…

Other books by Josh Waitzkin.