Mastery: How Learning Transforms Our Brains, Minds, and Bodies

by Arturo E. Hernandez

To the outsider, an expert seems as if they are doing everything effortlessly. A master chess player, an expert golfer, and a prolific writer seem to be able to quickly home in on what needs to be done and execute flawlessly over and over again. How do we master new skills? How do our brains and bodies transform performance from novice to expert? In Mastery, Arturo E. Hernandez shows that new skills are not built but rather bloom from the combination and recombination of small parts that come to represent a new whole. The process by which smaller things are blended over and over again is one that is not just restricted to high-level experts. Uniting the latest research findings from a cross section of disciplines and case studies with compelling storytelling, Mastery shows readers how the blooming of abilities can work in their favor and lead them to achieve much more than they thought was possible. Whether mastering a new language, learning to play a musical instrument, improving your tennis serve, or sharpening your memory, Hernandez teaches readers how to take advantage of our adaptability and open our minds to their fullest potential. Rather than hyperfocus and overspecialization, moving our focus from rigid perfection to a form of flexible adaptation can lead to unexpected improvement. This approach to skill sheds light on how to better harness our talents so that we can accomplish things that are seemingly out of reach. For anyone looking to learn a new skill, teach someone else to do the same, or to better understand how our brains evolve and excel, this fascinating tour of cognition will reveal the path to surprising potential.

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 16, 2024

Reviews

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mastery is a deep dive into the science of how people learn. It is not a pop science book. It is full of scientific discoveries rather than a straightforward explanation.

Unfortunately, there is a reason that most books are not this comprehensive. Most science, or at least reading about science, is pretty dry. Okay, I hate to say it, but this book is mostly boring. There are interesting insights, but I was hard pressed to stay awake long enough to find them. Mastery was not the book for me. It is like the abridged version of two years of college science classes. 2 stars.

Thanks to Prometheus and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

[Steve Brock · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Stevo’s Novel Ideas, I have selected this book as Stevo's Business Book of the Week for the week of 7/21, as it stands heads above other recently published books on this topic.

[Ning · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has a promising start but its ideas become scattered and unfocused toward the end. Not recommended.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows how to become an expert by combining your basic skills in new ways. Through real-life stories and studies, you’ll learn to adapt your natural talents to accomplish amazing things.

This interesting and easy-to-read book provides a lot of detailed information about the subject through specific examples. It doesn’t do the best job of synthesizing the information into general principles. Still, it convincingly replaces the “10,000 hours” myth with actual science and real-world examples.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.