Exposure vs. Mastery
(Masters Only in Our Minds)
“An unfortunate reality of our time is that people have fundamentally misunderstood the nature of ‘Mastery.’”
—J. R. StJohn
“When we were young, we received a plain white Gi and a belt. Each week, we took the Gi home for laundering and pressing. The belt remained folded in the locker. Over time, the belt became darker and acquired an air of ‘experience through use.’ Discerning just who was a ‘Black Belt’ was never difficult. Eventually, the exterior wrap of the belt wore through, and the inner braids of cotton were exposed and worn as well. So the belt made the journey from White to Black, and back again to White, through use and experience.”
—As told to the author by Sensei (Master) Yoshihiko Hirata
Through our omnipresent media connections, we can see and explore virtually anything virtually, at virtually any time… As a result, we’ve begun to culturally conflate knowing about, heard about and having been exposed to something with having achieved a “Mastery” of Something. Having seen every Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Lee, or Donnie Yen movie, or even every martial arts movie may make one a “Master of Martial Art Movie Viewing — Seventh Degree,” but it does not make one “Master” of even a single Martial Art.
Having seen Casablanca, does not mean one has been to Morocco.
Having been to Morocco does not make one an expert on Morocco.
Having been elected to political office does not make one an expert on National Defense or Economics.
Having read some history, does not confer an understanding of History.
We have erased the distinction between mere exposure, and actual Mastery.
The true Master begins with humility and manifests a willingness to both confront and admit his own ignorance, and thus, makes it safe for others to realize (and remedy) their own.
In the world of Zen, Tao and the martial arts, there is a phrase, “Beginner’s Mind.” The beginner is humble, curious, completely open, trusting, willing, and without criticism. The beginner tries, fails, then tries again… endlessly.
Somewhere, in that endless repetitive trying, failing and making small progress, something we might call “Mastery” begins to appear…
Not even perhaps, to the practitioner, but to those who witness the evolution.
That is why “Mastery” is never announced by the student, but recognized and awarded by the teacher.
Ignore the claims, the certificates, the self-promotion.
Don’t worry about the belt or the symbols.
When you meet a Master, you’ll know.
Applications
1. For You
Don’t worry about what it says on your business card or your LinkedIn profile, just keep perfecting your art. You will improve, encounter barriers, give up, go back, conquer them and repeat the process. At some point, people will begin coming to you for advice… Being helpful is also a component of Mastery.
2. For the Family
Children, working toward adulthood, encounter their parents, with their own personal and character limitations. So we all learn that Mastery (and Adulthood) is a matter of degree. Help them (and your partner) keep working on the skills they choose, not worried about labels or pride. Participation is its own reward, though a single Participation Medal may bear scant testimony. A hundred such awards may indicate a level of attainment. As ever, it’s not the medals but the time spent training, competing and practicing that makes the Master.
3. At Work
Practice and Help. Repeat. Fall in love with the work. Begin with getting to work (and home) on time. Pass through the look, the sound, the feel of professionalism. Then perfect the art of serving clients (both internal and external). Don’t forget to polish and treasure life outside the office. Now, look around and breathe… You have arrived.
Get to work on your lifetime of exposure, and Mastery will appear.
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