This representation of the stages towards “mastery” reveals two useful insights for us. (There’s a breakdown of the stages below)

A. The feeling of moving from 1 to 2 feels bad, but is a step in the right direction. We often don’t like to slow down, or make other adjustments, that make things feel harder. They feel harder because they take us from unconscious incompetence, to conscious incompetence. That’s a step UP the ladder of evolution, but it “feels” like a step DOWN that ladder.

B. The beginning and the end FEEL the same: “unconscious”: there is a feeling of executing without thinking. Since they feel the same, how shall I know if I am in stage 1 or 4? Quite simply: if I didn’t go through stages 2 and 3, I’m still in stage 1!

*A quick breakdown of the stages, if it isn’t clear:

• Level 1 (unconscious incompetence): cannot do it well, but I don’t know it.

• Level 2 (conscious incompetence): cannot do it well, and I know it.

• Level 3 (conscious competence): I CAN do it well, but only when I’m paying close attention

• Level 4 (unconscious incompetence): I got nowhere left to go.