Progression: the process of developing or moving gradually towards a more advanced state. (Definitions from Oxford Languages)
The definition says it all — It’s a process. It’s development. It’s gradual. Toward a more advanced state.
Breaking that down even more…
Process: a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end.
Develop: growing and becoming more mature, advanced, or elaborate.
Gradual: taking place or progressing slowly or by degrees.
Advanced: far on or ahead in development or progress.
Is this a formula for mastery? Seems so clear yet too simple. Seems so definite but too abstract.
PROCESS – means there’s a system, a pathway, maybe a series of tasks or actions, sequential steps. Simple enough but where people probably find points of failure is a question of efficiency and optimization, that is maximizing input to output ratio but also doing things that are not additive to the ultimate endgoal. It’s not just establishing a process that saves time and energy (work) but also making sure the steps you are taking are heading in the right direction. That what you’re doing is taking you to where you want to go.
DEVELOP – Know and understand the regressions. That is, be a PHD of the regressions, know them inside and out. Which in part means studying and researching the “ideal”, perfected form of what you’re trying to accomplish. Then break down parts of that form into individual pieces to practice and master. But also further break down those pieces even more into simpler isolated regressions if you need to. Let go of your ego to embrace crawling to get to the baby steps.
GRADUAL – it requires patience. It’s gradual. Gradual means slow, incremental. It means you might not see visible gains or advancements in a day, week or even month. But take each incremental gain as a massive win, and accumulated over time creates a snowball effect. But it’s patience and delayed gratification. But remove the timeframe or expectations and gratification and satisfaction can be found in being present and engaged in the activity in itself.
ADVANCED – to reach an “advanced” state is to build on a “First Principles” foundation. Everything builds ontop of each other. Starting with a First Principles mindset is already establishing an advanced state. An advanced state is stacking, multiplying many First Principles ontop of each other. This is really the only way to go further beyond just mimicking, mirroring or just replicating an established norm. So don’t think of an “Advanced State” as some far off goal or endstate, think of it as a state of mind.
Do the practice of one thing everyday that is making you undeniably, incrementally better.