The path to mastery is paved with....

[outlandish]

The skulls of fallen enemies. 

jk. I'd say:

Discipline

 

[Hellspeed]

Insanity

[Surfingthewave]

From skulls to suffering to ego, love and discipline, this path ain't an easy one. 

Before shoveling through all that shit to freedom didn't Andy Defresne spend 20 years perfecting the craft of diligence, patience, discipline, and knowledge acquisition in an oppressive environment of suffering and torture? Sounds a bit like life pre enlightenment. 

[RichardY]

@Surfingthewave Perseverance.

[Samantha]

One thing I don't get is why I should give a shit about being "world class"?    If I have found my purpose and I pour my life and love into it and burn the dross happily doing it then why the heck is it important whether I am the best in the world at it?      I mean shouldn't be a source of joy if some people are even better at this thing than I am?      Isn't it pretty much an ego game to seek to be Numero Uno?      I really don't get why there is any accent on this.