Ralston's Book on Mastery is Incredible

[Wisebaxter]

Anyone got hold of this yet? It's fairly new. The guy basically breaks down the formula for how to develop in any area of life in such a clear way that it might as well be called 'how to enter God mode.' It's actually 'The Art of Mastery: Principles of Effective Interaction.' One of the biggest things to have impacted me so far is the idea that you constantly have to consider what's actually unfolding and whether the actions you take are in line with your objective. But really I just wanna say, please get this book, it will change you. I refer to it daily. It's kind of a manual for kicking ass. You could use it for anything from making a stew, giving head, to becoming enlightened. The first chapter is a condensed version of the rest of the book, for quick reference, so you don't have to look at longer paragraphs. Here's to give you an idea. 

 

Edited June 27, 2024 by Wisebaxter

[UpperMaster]

@Wisebaxter Whats the significance of this?

From my understanding it just says:

• Action must be part a series of actions that lead to goal
• Action must respond to your environment 
• Actions have to relevant and not random 
• I don't understand the last part

 

 

Could you explain this further please, I don't seem to grasp it. 

[Wisebaxter]

@UpperMaster You got the crux of it there but the last part, as in the very first paragraph at the top is making the point that there is often a lot irrelevant stuff we're reacting to that isn't related to the objective. For example there might be some frustration, or your beliefs about the process, whether you think you're capable etc. Usually we're talking about very non-objective distinctions like thoughts, beliefs and emotions, but in a sporting context, if the ball is flying at me but I'm staring at a hot women, I'm going to miss it. For me it was eye opening and I realised that I'm rarely just relating clearly to what's there, without bringing in other distinctions that aren't productive. A lot of it will probably seem like common sense, but it still cleared away a lot for me. There's a lot more to the book than this too. 

The photo I sent was to give a general idea of the layout and some core ideas but obviously it would have to be read within its context for maximum impact and understanding. 

Edited June 27, 2024 by Wisebaxter

[Thought Art]

I preordered it and read it cover to cover. It’s not the easiest read in that it’s dry though not super hard to grasp. But, definitely a foundational book that applies to every domain.

[Staples]

Hell yeah it is. But you have to work it. It's not just a book that shares a nice perspective, you have to run the things you're interested in through it like a machine to get results. But the results are amazing.

[Thought Art]

The book I think requires regular study 

I like how he has a mini version of the book near the beginning for easy review 

[Wisebaxter]

On 29/06/2024 at 2:40 AM, Thought Art said:

I preordered it and read it cover to cover. It’s not the easiest read in that it’s dry though not super hard to grasp. But, definitely a foundational book that applies to every domain.

 

On 29/06/2024 at 4:54 AM, Staples said:

Hell yeah it is. But you have to work it. It's not just a book that shares a nice perspective, you have to run the things you're interested in through it like a machine to get results. But the results are amazing.

@Staples @Thought Art Oh you got that right. This is no quick-fix book. You could see like a recipe book. Staring at photos of chicken pot pies won't fill your belly at all. For me it just clears away all the nonsense, like a pleasant tune that can be heard within the din of noise and chaos. 

[universe]

Thanks for sharing. Does it include Law of Attraction and Shadow Work?

[Happy Lizard]

@Thought Art how is it different from Mastery by George Leonard? 

[Wisebaxter]

@Happy Lizard  You didn't ask me but I'll chime in anyway if you don't mind. It's been a while since I've read that book so it's a little hard to say but if I had to take a guess I'd say that Ralston not only has a deeper grasp on the subject but he's a master communicator. He would make finer distinctions regarding his audience's capabilities and present information in such a way that makes it not just easier to understand but also remembered and utilised. For example the 'short version' at the beginning of the book that can be used for quick reference, is kind of like a distillation of the process. Most writers of books of this nature wouldn't even think to go there. If you consider that Ralston runs workshops where the purpose is to help people make distinctions and actually experience things for themselves, plus his level of dedication to truth and consciousness, it would suggest his work is going to be much more accessible and lucid, although @Thought Art did comment that it was a bit dry. I suppose that's Raslton's way of removing anything extraneous so you don't get distracted, but I'm guessing. Great question by the way. That George Leonard book was definitely the balls and you could easily argue it presents it's own unique perspective that some people would find more palatable and helpful.  But Ralston's book, for me, is of a quality that reflects his extraordinary ability to communicate ideas and master his craft. I mean the guy won a martial arts contest...whereas you could probably fuck George Leonard up  

Edited July 7, 2024 by Wisebaxter

[Wisebaxter]

@universe It hasn't done so far and I've nearly finished it. He doesn't ever talk about Law of attraction in any of his works. The closest he gets to it is talking about a form of practice where you can use your imagination to practice your craft. So in 'The Art of Effortless Power' he talks about how he would practice Judo moves at home by imagining every single way his opponent might react and then imagining how he was going to counter that. It's was a huge part of his process. But this book is very very practical. Not that Law of attraction isn't a valid idea in relation to mastery (from my perspective), but it's too esoteric for what he's trying to achieve here. In terms of Shadow Work, you won't find that here. Only in the sense that he talks about distinctions you might be experiencing that are unrelated to your goal and might put you off course. For example he talks about how you might have fears and insecurities that cloud your experience. I believe the healthier your shadow is, the clearer your objective will be. The book you want for Shadow Work, if you haven't come across it, is 'Shadow Dance' by David Rico. Leo will attest to that one. Amazing book and full of practical exercises. I couldn't imagine finding a better book on the subject than that one 

Edited July 7, 2024 by Wisebaxter

[integration journey]

I have it but haven’t read it yet. I have so many books from Leo’s booklist laying around that I haven’t read yet either. 

[Wisebaxter]

@integration journey Jump on this one buddy. Stick it at the top of the list, trust me you won't regret it. It's so foundational it may as well be made of cement 

[Thought Art]

@Happy Lizard George Leonard’s book if I remember is more stories of mastery, the types of pursuing mastery/ skills develop and is sort of a big picture book. It’s motivating and paints a good picture on why you should develop mastery. 
 

Peter Ralston’s is far more deep in that it breaks down Mastery into its components and basis everything around the idea of effective interaction as the basis of mastery. Peter’s book will teach you deeply how your mind works, the differences between how you think it should be vs how it actually is. Peter’s book and it’s focus on the principles of Effective Interaction is a life changer for those willing to read and study it. 
 

Both books address different aspects of mastery, as would Robert Greenes book

[Staples]

@Thought Art Exactly right. The 10,000 hours rule is such bs. 

It takes 10,000 hours for mastery if you practice mindlessly. Practice with consciousness and you could cut that it half or more.

[enchanted]

Great recommendation thanks

[BlessedLion]

On 6/27/2024 at 6:40 AM, Wisebaxter said:

Anyone got hold of this yet? It's fairly new. The guy basically breaks down the formula for how to develop in any area of life in such a clear way that it might as well be called 'how to enter God mode.' It's actually 'The Art of Mastery: Principles of Effective Interaction.' One of the biggest things to have impacted me so far is the idea that you constantly have to consider what's actually unfolding and whether the actions you take are in line with your objective. But really I just wanna say, please get this book, it will change you. I refer to it daily. It's kind of a manual for kicking ass. You could use it for anything from making a stew, giving head, to becoming enlightened. The first chapter is a condensed version of the rest of the book, for quick reference, so you don't have to look at longer paragraphs. Here's to give you an idea. 

 

This book changed my life as did all of Ralston work. 

[Wisebaxter]

On 29/07/2024 at 1:03 AM, BlessedLion said:

This book changed my life as did all of Ralston work. 

@BlessedLion That's great to hear. Have you read Zen Body Being? I love how practical all of his books are. I'd love to go on one of his retreats wouldn't you? They're a bit out of my price range though 

Edited August 7, 2024 by Wisebaxter

[quantumspiral]

@Wisebaxter I'll have to look into his stuff- I think the practical benefits of awareness are staggering and really not talked about much.

"Life as Sport: What Top Athletes Can Teach You about How to Win in Life" and "The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus into Your Life" are in a similar vein to this book I'd assume. I'd recommend them.

[Wisebaxter]

3 hours ago, quantumspiral said:

@Wisebaxter I'll have to look into his stuff- I think the practical benefits of awareness are staggering and really not talked about much.

"Life as Sport: What Top Athletes Can Teach You about How to Win in Life" and "The Practicing Mind: Bringing Discipline and Focus into Your Life" are in a similar vein to this book I'd assume. I'd recommend them.

@quantumspiral thanks for the recommends. Ralston has trained a lot of athletes I think. Check out his Youtube channel too. He also runs retreats and they look incredible. Yeah he says the more you tune your awareness, the deeper the distinctions you make on a phenomena. Like, if I listen to the sound of birds intently I'll be able to pick out different birds instead of it being just one mass of chirpy loveliness 

Edited August 7, 2024 by Wisebaxter