Getting good at something.

Welcome to the Good Life Chronicles, where living a good life takes center stage.

The world remains uncertain and depending on the day, we're (still) talking about politics, economic pressures, artificial intelligence, climate change, or whatever fresh or long-standing concern has arrived in our newsfeeds. There is no shortage of things to worry about.

Which is why I've been thinking about something surprisingly simple these days: competence.

Or, put another way, the pleasure of getting better at something.

Many of us spend years becoming competent at work, only to stop learning outside of it. We go to meetings, answer emails, manage projects, and then wonder why life feels repetitive.

But some of the happiest people I know are getting better at something and that something isn't necessarily solving world hunger (although that would be good). Rather, it's getting better at things like...

Tennis, fencing or photography.

Learning Arabic or playing the guitar.

Taking a course in fashion design or glass blowing over the weekend.

(Glass blowing studios are growing in the city; find what interests you).

The activity itself almost doesn't matter.

What matters is progress.

There is something really satisfying about noticing that what was once difficult has become easier. That the tennis serve lands more often. The camera settings finally make sense. The coffee order placed in Arabic is understood and finishes with the right product in one's hands. 

And that competence isn’t unimportant, it creates confidence, mastery, a little sense of pride and satisfaction, a sense that we are actually good at something. We are capable.

And it doesn’t only feel good in retrospect, it also gives us something positive to focus on, something to anticipate, and something to discuss with others. It also reminds us that growth doesn't end when school does and that in itself, opens a whole sea of opportunity for good living.

In positive psychology, mastery is one of the most reliable pathways to wellbeing. We like feeling effective. We like seeing evidence that our effort matters.

The mistake many of us make is assuming we need another achievement or experience. Something for the Instagram feed.

(Fencing is popular, just not well known. There are many clubs; maybe one near you?)

I'm proposing something different: what we often need is another skill.

Something permanent and which belongs entirely to us. Something to learn and grow from.

And not because it generates income, improves our LinkedIn profile, or could become a side hustle. Rather, it’s because it adds to life, our life.

In short, a Good Life is built through progress in becoming our very best selves.

What are you getting better at? And if the answer is "nothing," perhaps it's time to find something. 

Share your current mastery goals in the comments here or below depending on your platform. Remember to sign in to leave a comment.

While you’re here!

If you like the idea of happiness and feel someone in your life should too, pass along this newsletter. They can sign up here.

Why not learn the skills of good living for yourself? Sign up to my course here, you can also “gift” the course to others.

Finally, do you work somewhere in the GCC that could use a little uplifting? See my programs for organizations here.

Have a great week and remember: Life is short, what you do with it matters.