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The Five Pillars of Mastery

Learn what you need to do keep yourself on the leading edge of any domain.

Introduction

When you set out not just to do something but to do it well, it’s still easy to get lost in transactional tasks and activities. That might be fine when the quality or timeliness of the work doesn’t matter or you’re only going to do something once or twice. However, when it’s an integral part of your daily experience or impact you want to make, it pays to think more holistically.

What are the Five Pillars of Mastery?

The Elements of Mastery are a set of concerns or areas of focus that need balanced attention within a particular scope of concern. These include:

  1. Processing

  2. Research & Development

  3. Study & Practice

  4. Systems

  5. Community & Connection

Processing

Processing is the work directly addressing ad hoc and transactional tasks for this scope of concern. These can also include routines and habits performed regularly.

Considering the Neurological Levels (see here), you might consider this work your most essential behavior in this domain in the current environment.

Study & Practice

This work is related to developing knowledge from available sources and practicing and honing skills within the life domain for Processing work. It could be reading books, watching videos, running drills, trial runs, etc.

In the Neurological Levels, ‘Study & Practice’ work represents your capabilities and reinforces the values & beliefs that you are capable.

Research & Development

This is the work related to making and evolving processes, solutions, and systems, often with the aim to Process better. It’s exploring new ideas, gathering information, and developing new concepts, frameworks, models, and tools related to this domain.

This is about expanding your capabilities in line with your evolving beliefs & values, identity, and spiritual connection.

Systems

This is work related to deploying, managing, and maintaining your technologies and cognitive/behavioral assets. These could be software, hardware, templates, process definitions, and other components that support this Life Domain.

  • Important Point: Document your processes and workflows. → Reason: Well-documented systems ensure efficiency and can be easily adjusted as needed.

  • Important Point: Start simple with the simplest solutions (administration-centric) before adding complexity (e.g. detection and prevention automation). → Reason: Templates and checklists are easy to make and maintain and test for effectiveness with little investment.

Systems enhance your capabilities to save energy in your behavior to make an impact at a greater scale and volume, which can help you fulfill your spiritual impact. Systems are also imbued with your beliefs and values.

Community & Connection

This work involves building and sustaining relationships with others—peers, mentors, etc.—who are doing similar work or seeking common goals and needs. It also includes networking, collaboration, and community engagement, each of which gives you perspective.

  • Important Point: Include tasks for attending events, contacting mentors, or participating in forums.

  • Reason: Building a strong community and network provides support, inspiration, and opportunities for growth, including additional perspective.

Community and connection can provide a safe or even brave environment for experimenting with new behaviors, discovering new capabilities or sharing your own, testing and reframing your beliefs and values, reinforcing or rebuilding your identity, and offering a channel to engage in your spiritual purpose.

Conclusion

By working across these areas and creating these critical areas of concern, you will be well on your way to developing passion, momentum, and mastery in your chosen Life Domain.