It completely shatters the myth of iconic people being destined for success by birth or some wild genius feat. This is one of Robert Greene’s best books that identifies nine “seducer” archetypes that anyone may fit into, whether it be a Rake, a Dandy, or a Charmer. You can learn what you need through books, your own practice, and occasional advice from others, but the process is hit-and-miss. It was obvious in your childhood, and your first step towards mastery is actually always inward first: reconnecting with that innate inclination. What I got from that is that the process of mastery is a long one, and most take a long time to gain the raw knowledge and intuition necessary for mastery.

Keep expanding your skills, knowledge and experience by exploring new fields, making new connections and experimenting with new concepts. This is a depressing attitude, because in the end we spend a substantial part of our waking life at work. Am I just getting fooled by Greene and riding an emotional high of "anything is possible to master if you set your mind to it"? We indulge in drugs or alcohol, or engage in dangerous sports or risky behavior, just to wake ourselves up from the sleep of our daily existence and feel a heightened sense of connection to reality.The mentor-mentee relationship often resembles that of a son-father figure, and sometimes you need to slay the father to burst your cocoon.

Learn to embrace criticism and failure, and be grateful for the opportunity to learn and improve as a result of your mistakes. He says there are three major distinct faces: the apprenticeship, the creative-active, and then mastery. If you fail in this way, the hit that you take to your reputation is greatly outweighed by what you learn. Masters have a “Dimensional Mind” that combines the childlike spirit with focused, disciplined learning. Greene grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of California, Berkeley, before finishing his degree at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a B.Learn as many skills as possible, and follow your circumstances, but only if they’re in the path of what interests you.