Why do so many people stall upon becoming “good enough”? Researchers have found that many of us automate our skills.21 At first, we might struggle to develop a sales pitch. Now we can do it in our sleep. So we do. We let skills that once required fierce effort lapse into habits. Sometimes that is a good thing. We couldn’t function if we had to contemplate every last action during our workday. But the moment a behavior becomes automatic, our learning stalls. Unless, that is, you take a tip from Magnus Carlsen and constantly push the boundaries, even when you’re on top.
