So, what is mastery all about? Think of those moments when you’ve been in high-pressure situations, and your body instantly follows what your mind tells it to do. This is what masters do, and it helps them see the whole picture, not just the small details. Many masters have described their talent in this way. For example, chess master Bobby Fischer didn’t just think about individual moves in a game; he saw the “fields of forces” that showed all the possible ways a game could go.

Pianist Glenn Gould could “see” the entire structure of a piece of music as he played, not just the part he was playing at the moment. This allowed him to coordinate all the different parts of the music beautifully.

Masters can do this because they’ve developed a strong connection between their mind and body. This connection is a natural part of us. In fact, all animals, including humans, experience mental decisions and physical actions as one. When a bee decides to sting, it acts on it immediately, without overthinking. The bee’s nerves tell its body what to do.

Long ago, our ancestors didn’t separate the mind and body like we do now. This separation happened when we developed abstract thinking. It’s what lets us control our reflexes. For example, when humans are threatened, we don’t automatically fight or run away; we try to talk things out. But this separation also made us lose the sense of having a united mind and body. As a master, your mind and body will work together as one. This helps you reach a deeper level of understanding and skill. Even when you’re practicing your discipline, you can also see the bigger picture and use that knowledge to achieve great things in your field.