Some people are born brilliant, lucky, or both. The rest of us have to work a little harder.
In his latest best-seller, "Mastery," author Robert Greene analyzes great figures from history, interviews contemporary leaders, and draws from years of psychology research to distill steps anyone can follow to become a master.
His other books discuss the strategies of power, seduction, war, and 50 Cent.
With permission from the author, we've highlighted some tips for mastering your destiny.
STEP 1: FIND YOUR LIFE'S TASK
Many people have an intense feeling about what they do best. Too often, they're driven away from it by other people. The first step is to trust yourself and aim your career path at what's unique about you.
Leonardo Da Vinci didn't come into his own as an artist alone, but when he followed his childhood curiosity about everything, he became an advisor and expert in subjects from architecture to anatomy.
Source: Robert Greene's "Mastery"
Rather than compete in a crowded field, find a niche where you can dominate.
Legendary neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran was once a restless and dissatisfied professor of Psychology. What was supposed to be a calling felt like a job. When he began the study of phantom limbs and anomalous brain disorders, he found questions about the brain and consciousness that fascinate him to this day.
Find your perfect niche, and stand out.
Source: Robert Greene's "Mastery"
Rebel against the wrong path, and use that anger as motivation.
Mozart was a child prodigy on the piano. At a very young age, his domineering father toured Europe with him. When he discovered a talent for unique composition, his father suppressed it. It wasn't until he rejected his father entirely that he became a master.
We are often attracted to the wrong things, whether it be money, fame, or approval.
Source: Robert Greene's "Mastery"
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