Becoming an apprentice begins with your mind-set. Long before entering Ghirlandaio’s studio, Michelangelo was practicing. He was not waiting for his Big Break; he was doing the work. That meant learning from whomever he could from an early age. He knew he wanted to be an artist and that he could not become great on his own, no matter how talented he might be. No amount of natural ability can compete with diligent practice. He had relatives who worked in the quarry every day and he was able to familiarize himself with stone—a skill that would be invaluable to him later in life. He adopted the
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