When is it good enough?

I am at a stage in life where most people would consider me to be a master. And you’d think, at this point, I have little left to learn.

But it seems like what is left to learn is vastly greater than what I have learned up to this point. This realization comes as something of a shock because I have been cruising on what I know for quite a while now.

It’s rare these days that I don’t think about doing better. No matter what I make or what kind of deal I cut, I always end up feeling that I could do better on the next one. It seems there is always, as my son would say, “just one thing.” Or maybe there’s more than one thing. Maybe there are several or many things that could be done better.

Mastery is looking to be something of an illusion. Those who have not yet travelled as much road see mastery in those who have travelled far. But those who have traveled far just see more road ahead. It’s like the song about the bear going over the mountain. There is always another mountain right behind that one.

My wife says this is what keeps us feeling vital and alive. If there are no more mountains, where is the challenge? What is there to hold your interest? If we want to keep going, we need to keep going.

D.D.