The Art Of Learning is a semi-autobiography about Josh Waitzkin, the
former chess prodigy, and martial artist. The book contains the
experiences he accumulated about efficient learning - how to pick up
crucial learning skills that will deepen your knowledge of your craft,
no matter what it is.
Most of Waitzkin's experiences stem from
his time playing chess at the highest level, winning Tai Chi Push Hands
championships around the world, and his observation of top competitors
like himself. A lot of important life lessons reside in this book, a few
of which are:
POPULARITY CAN BE HARMFUL TO MASTERY
After Josh won a couple of prestigious chess competitions his father
wrote a memoir titled Searching For Bobby Fischer: A Father’s Story of Love and Ambition (1988). A movie was released based on the memoir (same
title) in 1993, drawing attention to the young Josh Waitzkin and his
talents. The attention generated by the movie distracted young Josh from
what mattered to him and his performance dipped. According to Josh,
"After the movie came out I couldn’t go to a tournament without being
surrounded by fans asking for autographs. Instead of focusing on chess
positions, I was pulled into the image of myself as a celebrity. Since
childhood I had treasured the sublime study of chess, the swim through
ever-deepening layers of complexity. I could spend hours at a chessboard
and stand up from the experience on fire with insight about chess,
basketball, the ocean, psychology, love, art. The game was exhilarating
and also spiritually calming. It centered me. Chess was my friend. Then,
suddenly, the game became alien and disquieting.
"At a young age I came to know that there is something profoundly hollow about the nature of fame. I had spent my life devoted to artistic growth and was used to the sweaty-palmed sense of contentment one gets after many hours of intense reflection. This peaceful feeling had nothing to do with external adulation, and I yearned for a return to that innocent, fertile time. I missed just being a student of the game, but there was no escaping the spotlight. I found myself dreading chess, miserable before leaving for tournaments. I played without inspiration and was invited to appear on television shows. I smiled."ALERTNESS IS PRICELESS
The ability to be aware of your own presence and immediate
environment is valuable to high-level competitors. This level of
attention fuels self-knowledge as well as the ability to learn from
anyone and anything. According to the author, "Once a simple inhalation
can trigger a state of tremendous alertness, our moment-to-moment
awareness becomes blissful, like that of someone half-blind who puts on
glasses for the first time. We see more as we walk down the street. The
everyday becomes exquisitely beautiful. The notion of boredom becomes
alien and absurd as we naturally soak in the lovely subtleties of the
'banal.' All experiences become richly intertwined by our new vision,
and then new connections begin to emerge. Rainwater streaming on a city
pavement will teach a pianist how to flow. A leaf gliding easily with
the wind will teach a controller how to let go. A housecat will teach me
how to move. All moments become each moment... Presence has taught me
how to live."
BE ALL YOUR EMOTIONS
There is a common notion
that anger, sadness, even tiredness are enemies of competition.
However, Waitzkin believes these emotions are vital to performance and
life if you do not shy away, bottle, or shut them up. He writes, "Once
you are no longer swept away by your emotions and can sit with them even
when under pressure, you will probably notice that certain states of
mind inspire you more than others. For some it may be happiness, for
others it may be fear. To each his own. Petrosian was very flexible.
Miller, Hernandez, and Robinson worked well with anger. Kasparov and
Jordan were intimidators: they inspired themselves by wilting opponents.
Once you understand where you lie on this spectrum, the next step is to
become self-sufficient by creating your own inspiring conditions."
Situations
are never ideal and the world always comes up with unconducive
scenarios that make us uncomfortable and distracted. Having said that,
Waitzkin believes people who understand who they are will always create
conditions that would allow them to survive or thrive. According to him,
this is the key to rising beyond difficult circumstances and
maintaining sanity where others might wilt or give up. He writes, "Most
of us are a complicated mix of greys. We have areas of stability and
others in which we are wobbly. In my experience the greatest of artists
and competitors are masters of navigating their own psychologies,
playing on their strengths, controlling the tone of battle so that it
fits with their personalities."
The Art Of Learning is a frank
dive into what makes a high-level competitor as well as how to acquire
true self-knowledge which seems key to learning of different kinds.
Highly recommended.
