Three Quick Things: The Path of Mastery, Improving Lane Play, and Playing to Your Strengths

In this recurring feature, I’ll be digging into three quick things to help you improve your game. In each installment, I’ll cover one aspect of the mental game, a lane play/tactical issue, and an element of the physical game.

In the last article, we addressed the performance-based identity, discussed the importance of relative scoring pace, and looked at the basic strategies for throwing it straight at your spares. In this installment, I want to take a look at the difference between a path of mastery and a path of achievement, share three steps for improving your lane play skills, and introduce the idea that your physical game training should be built around your strengths rather than constantly focusing on your weaknesses.

Which path are you on?

Are you on the path of achievement or the path of mastery? Before you answer, we should probably look at the difference between the two.

A path of achievement is one where the results matter most. Whether it’s achieving a certain average, winning a tournament, or getting certain accolades, the main motivation is to achieve something. Or lots of somethings.

On the other hand, a path of mastery is one where the focus is on improving your skills, developing and then mastering certain abilities. Choosing the path of mastery can lead to great achievements, but chasing glory rarely leads to mastery.

Let’s look at an example. You bowl in one bowling center, and your goal is to become the high-average bowler in that center. And so you work hard and practice the skills you need to become the highest average. Unfortunately, when you bowl tournaments outside that center, you struggle because your skill set and equipment are limited to being most effective on one condition: your home house shot.

You’ve been following the path of achievement, not the path of mastery.

Don’t get me wrong: I think it’s important to dream big and have something that you want to achieve, but when ...