#335 - Adam Gopnik on THE REAL WORK

The New Yorker's Adam Gopnik chats with Trey Elling about THE REAL WORK: ON THE MYSTERY OF MASTERY. Topics include:

• The book’s goal (0:38)
• The importance of learning new skills (3:26)
• Defining ‘mastery’ (6:12)
• The mystery of performance (8:19)
• Jamy Ian Swiss and the real work (13:15)
• “The method is not the trick” (16:33)
• Learning about mastery from David Blaine (19:11)
• The mystery of identity and intention (23:53)
• The challenge of Adam learning to drive a car in his 50s (29:07)
• How learning to drive in NYC changed his perception of the city (32:38)
• Courtesy waves (34:54)
• The mystery of interiority (36:24)
• The mystery of meaning (40:17)
• The mystery of late style (46:22)
• Overcoming a shy bladder (49:32)
• Whether learning how to draw altered Adam’s perception as an art critic (55:13)