Success Slows You Down

The Fable of the Young Samurai

A young samurai once approached his master and asked, “How long will it take for me to become a master?”

The master replied, “Ten years.”

Eager to speed things up, the young samurai insisted, “What if I work twice as hard—day and night?”

The master smiled and answered, “Twenty years.”

Confused, the young samurai asked, “Why would it take longer if I put in more effort?”

The master replied, “If you keep one eye on the goal, you only have one eye left for the journey.”

The lesson? The more you fixate on mastery, the longer it takes. But when you immerse yourself in the process, mastery happens naturally.

This fable isn’t just about swordsmanship—it’s about every skill, every career path, and especially about mastering AI and making money from it. If you’re constantly obsessed with “becoming an AI expert” or “making money quickly”, you might actually be delaying your success.

Let’s break down how to apply this wisdom to your journey in AI.

1. Embrace the Process, Not Just the Outcome

Mastery isn’t a finish line—it’s a lifelong journey. Many aspiring AI entrepreneurs get stuck in impatience mode, constantly asking:

• How long until I can make money from AI?
• What’s the fastest way to master AI?

The paradox is that focusing on these questions actually slows down your learning. Instead, the key is to fall in love with the process—the small daily wins, the problem-solving, and the experiments.✅ Actionable Steps:

• Schedule deep work sessions where you focus purely on skill-building without worrying about monetization.
• Track your progress in skills gained, problems solved, and projects built—not in dollars earned.

🔑 Key Takeaway: Stop rushing. Mastery will come as a side effect of consistent, immersive effort.2. Prioritize Deep Work Over HustleThe young samurai thought working twice as hard would make him a master faster. But intensity without focus leads to burnout, not expertise.Many people fall into the hustle trap—jumping from AI course to AI course, starting multiple projects, but never deeply engaging with one. That’s like learning five martial arts at once and mastering none.✅ Actionable Steps:

• Limit context switching: Instead of juggling multiple AI projects, work on one structured phase at a time.
• Use deliberate practice: Study one concept deeply, then apply it immediately (e.g., build a small automation with n8n before moving on to the next tool).

🔑 Key Takeaway: Mastery isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing fewer things better.3. Don’t Try to “Hack” Mastery—Let It HappenAI is evolving fast, but that doesn’t mean you need to “hack” your way to expertise. Instead, focus on compounding knowledge—let one skill naturally build on another.Many beginners waste time looking for the “ultimate AI roadmap” instead of just building and iterating.✅ Actionable Steps:

• Reframe learning as play: Instead of rigid courses, experiment freely with AI tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and automation platforms.
• Use AI as a learning partner: Let AI assist you, but don’t let it do all the thinking for you.

🔑 Key Takeaway: Mastery is organic. Show up daily, experiment, and let compounding take over.4. Monetization is an Effect, Not a GoalIf you chase money first, you might never reach it. If you chase skill development and problem-solving, monetization will naturally follow.Many AI beginners think, “How can I make money from AI?” but the real question should be, “What AI solutions can I build that people actually need?”✅ Actionable Steps:

• Productize Your Learning: Turn every problem you solve into a product, a guide, or a service.
• Community First, Money Second: Build an audience that values your work, and monetization will follow.

🔑 Key Takeaway: Instead of chasing money, create value first. Money is the byproduct of solving real problems.5. Execution > KnowledgeThe young samurai wanted to “get there” fast, but mastery comes from daily reps, not from just knowing the theory.✅ Actionable Steps:

• Ship Fast, Iterate Faster: Build and launch small AI tools instead of waiting for a “perfect” idea.
• Engage in Challenges: Participate in AI hackathons, Twitter build-in-public challenges, or open-source contributions.

🔑 Key Takeaway: Execution creates momentum. Action beats overthinking every time.Conclusion: The Samurai’s Lesson Applied to AI Mastery

• Don’t chase AI mastery—just show up every day and do the work.
• Monetization will come naturally when you solve real problems.
• Deep focus > spreading yourself too thin.
• Execution trumps theory.
• Flow state beats grinding.

By shifting your mindset from “How fast can I master AI?” to “How deeply can I immerse myself in learning AI today?”, you’ll not only accelerate your learning but also set yourself up for long-term success.Your journey in AI is just beginning. But if you keep both eyes on the work, instead of the destination, you’ll find yourself mastering AI—and making money—before you even realize it.👉 What’s one thing you can start focusing on today without worrying about the outcome?