The White Belt Mindset: How Thinking Like a Beginner Can Help You Find Mastery

I’ve been stumbling over the concept and application of mastery lately. Mastery has also unexpectedly found me.

Some of the most fulfilling moments of my military career are occurring as it ends. I am in a unique position of being able to positively influence an entire generation of Army leaders who will replace me. An example of this work is through one-on-one coaching sessions with junior Army Officers that we call Mastery. I borrowed this term from my experiences using the same format while teaching at West Point’s Center for Enhanced Performance.

Through mastery, we cover a wide range of topics from building trust, goal setting, mentally preparing for Ranger school, and focusing and being more present in the moment. These young men and women are on a path to mastering their craft as leaders who will lead Soldiers into combat. They don’t realize that through our mastery work, we gain as much from them as they are from me. This is the essence of mastery.

What is Mastery?