George Leonard Getting Energy For Mastery Sparknotes

A successful business is not created in a day; the individual running the business will not know everything there is to know about running a business after a month, six months, or even after a year of running the business. George Leonard, author of the book “Mastery,” discusses the important fundamental steps of mastering a skill or goal. In chapter 11, “Getting Energy for Mastery,” Mr. Leonard discusses seven important steps necessary to start on the path to mastery. These seven steps are to maintain physical fitness, acknowledge the negative and accentuate the positive, try telling the truth, honor but don’t indulge your own dark side, set your priorities, make commitments, take action and lastly, get on the path of mastery and stay on it. All of these seven principles can be applied to starting and maintaining my own business, and will ultimately lead to a more happy and successful life. The

In a business it is important to be honest with others. It is also critical for employees to feel comfortable stating concerns or disagreements. As employees are happier within a business more work will be accomplished throughout the day. Telling the truth is also very critical when dealing with customers. Lying to customers and employees decreases the company’s overall morale. Step four states, honor but don’t indulge your own dark side. George Leonard discusses that individuals have energy stored inside of them from behavior that it deemed inappropriate or forbidden. He recommends to take this stored energy and use it. Leonard uses the example of anger; he explains if all the negative energy anger brings is used in a positive way, such as working on a project or assignment then a person can become a lot more productive. It is important to not act out or lash out towards others when dealing with these emotions, but to use them in a self-benefiting ways such as working on a project, going to the gym, or learning something