Cover of Mastery

Book · 2012 · Success

Mastery

by Robert Greene · Recommended by 13 people on 12 podcasts

#212 of 16,775 books, ranked by how many different people bring it up on podcasts

mentions
40
people
13
podcasts
12
episodes
26
critical mentions
0

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I first learned about Robert's work from reading the book Mastery, which to my mind is a brilliant exploration and a practical tool for how to think about and pursue one's purpose.
Andrew Huberman · Huberman Lab · Dec 2023 Listen at 0:57

What they say about it

Grouped from 40 mentions
  • Top recommendation“book I recommend most to people”
    6
  • Changed my life“changed my life”
    4
  • Life task and apprenticeship“discovering your life's task, apprenticeship”
    4

The best things said about it

6 of 40 · every mention
Recommended
I read Mastery by Robert Greene; it changed my life.
Sam Parr The Daily Stoic · Apr 2024
Recommended
Whenever I'm asked for book suggestions, I always include Mastery in my top three recommendations.
Andrew Huberman Huberman Lab · Dec 2023
Recommended
There's this other great book called Mastery by Robert Greene and the whole book is about on how you should develop a skill.
Shaan Puri My First Million · Jul 2023
Recommended
Although I think Robert Greene's book Mastery is probably the book I recommend most to people.
Ryan Holiday The Jordan Harbinger Show · Oct 2019
Discussed
And in particular, Mastery, it absolutely changed my life.
On the show My First Million · Aug 2025
Recommended
And then if you take Mastery and The 48 Laws of Power combined, those can act as a possible road map for the abilities you want to develop.
Tim Ferriss The Tim Ferriss Show · Apr 2020

Where and when it comes up

Mentions per year

Counted mentions by episode date. Our archive is deeper for recent years; 2026 so far.

How it comes up

Recommended means the speaker tells listeners to read it.

Most mentions, by podcast

Top 9 of 12 shows

13 people who brought it up

Most recommendations first

Also: Theo Von

Why people recommend it

Mastery by Robert Greene is a non-fiction book that explores the paths to achieving high-level expertise through historical examples and psychological insights. Ryan Holiday mentioned the book on The Daily Stoic as a key to unlocking the puzzle of Robert Greene's broader body of work. Sam Parr shared on the same podcast that reading Mastery changed his life, directly influencing his conscious choice to use the terminology of trade and mastery in his own career. Andrew Wilkinson recommended the book on Never Enough alongside other writings by Greene, suggesting they are worth reading repeatedly. Andrew Huberman frequently endorsed Mastery on Huberman Lab, placing it in his top three book suggestions and praising its valuable insights on mentorship and the evolution of professional relationships. Shaan Puri brought up the book on My First Million to reinforce the importance of deeply developing a specific skill set. Throughout these discussions, podcast guests emphasized that the book provides a practical roadmap for anyone seeking to master a craft, overcome obstacles, and dedicate themselves to lifelong learning, cementing its reputation as a modern classic for personal development and professional growth.

Every mention

40 counted mentions · 37 passing or ad reads below
Andrew Huberman Whenever I'm asked for book suggestions, I always include Mastery in my top three recommendations. 6
Discussed
“I first learned about Robert's work from reading the book Mastery, which to my mind is a brilliant exploration and a practical tool for how to think about and pursue one's purpose.”
Recommended
“Whenever I'm asked for book suggestions, I always include Mastery in my top three recommendations.”
Discussed
“and your book Mastery W and the reason I recommended Mastery is because these students were soon going to go into the great Jungle of yeah you know post uh undergraduate education and and for me I found Mastery to be an absolutely transformative book”
Recommended
“Actually the first time I heard about it was from Robert Greene who wrote the book Mastery, and some important writings, what was it? I forget how many laws of power, but those books, Robert Green Mastery is actually a book that I highly recommend. People read because it talks about mentorship and finding mentors and the fact that we're”
Recommended
“Actually, the first time I heard about it was from Robert Greene, who wrote the book Mastery and some important writings; what was it? I think it was the— I forget how many laws of power, but those books, Robert Greene's Mastery is actually a book that I highly recommend people read because it talks about mentorship and finding mentors”
Recommended
“I used to suggest the book Mastery to to graduate students and to undergraduates like you know learn the this process of finding a mentor”
Ryan Holiday although I think Robert Greene's book mastery is probably the book I recommend most to people and one of th… 8
Discussed
“And I remember, because you, during the mastery one, you asked me if there was a, you were like, I don't want you to transcribe these interviews anymore.”
Discussed
“But when you think about somebody who, because obviously such a central part of mastery is that like apprenticeship. Yeah. What's the advice you give people to not fuck up an apprenticeship?”
Recommended
“It's one lesson a day from all of his books. 33 Strategy of War, Laws of Human Nature, 48 Laws of Power, Art of Seduction, Mastery.”
Recommended
“and then when you read his other books particularly Mastery then then then you sort of unlock the puzzle”
Discussed
“in uh robert green's mastery he talks about like your sort of life's task like how do you find what that thing is people go like what's my passion”
Discussed
“one of my mentors robert green he's a one of the greatest writers of all time he wrote his book the 48 laws of power and called mastery he wrote a book with 50 called the 50th law”
Discussed
“Green talks about that in 'Mastery.'”
Recommended
“although I think Robert Greene's book mastery is probably the book I recommend most to people and one of the things he talks about is he's like you got to remember”
Sam Parr I read Mastery Robert Green changed my life and that's why I purposely use those words of trade and Mastery 3
Recommended
“I read Mastery Robert Green changed my life and that's why I purposely use those words of trade and Mastery”
Recommended
“I read Mastery by Robert Greene; it changed my life. And that’s why I purposely use those words of trade and mastery.”
Discussed
“dude I read that in in Mastery Mastery changed my life I remember like exactly where I was where I read it and I was like oh this this is called apprenticeship”
Tim Ferriss so the Black Swan by and then and then I have meditations right here and know it and then meditation is yeah 3
Recommended
“so the Black Swan by and then and then I have meditations right here and know it and then meditation is yeah”
Recommended
“And then if you take Mastery and The 48 Laws of Power combined, those can act as a possible road map for the abilities you want to develop”
Robert Greene well probably Mastery in some ways because maybe to take you to the next level 8
Discussed
“Well, you know, in mastery, I take you through the process, discovering your life's task, apprenticeship, finding a mentor, and then social skills, chapter four.”
Discussed
“I talked in Mastery about Temple Grandin, who was born with severe autism. She was able to find her way to become an incredibly brilliant professor, academic, writer, and expert on animal behavior and autism. She found her way there, even when at three or four years old, she couldn't speak any language and was going to be hospitalized.”
Discussed
“so what is it I call it in master I call it a primal inclination”
Discussed
“there is not a child on the planet that doesn't have that in Mastery I have a story in there about a woman named temple grandon”
Discussed
“and I did honestly when I wrote my fourth book mastery I was a little bit concerned that young people were getting to were thinking that the whole game of life is about politics manipulation so I wrote a book to kind of counter that”
Discussed
“well to be honest with you it came the idea for it was around the year 2010 2009 I was getting a little worried that people who were reading my books particularly young men who were reading power and seduction they cut they were thinking that's all I need in life man I just need to be a manipulator”
Discussed
“and I explain in Mastery that you reach the proverbial ten thousand hours which some people dispute nowadays”
Recommended
“well probably Mastery in some ways because maybe to take you to the next level”
Shaan Puri there's this other great book called Mastery by Robert Greene and the whole book is about on how you should… 4
Discussed
“Not just because of your book, but like one of my favorite books is Mastery by Robert Greene. Yes.”
Discussed
“So Sam was talking about mastery and you have this concept of people finding their life life task, their life's task. And I think that's great.”
Discussed
“so I read so many books when I was trying to get sober uh I talked about the 48 Laws of Power that was a great one Mastery by Robert Green that was another good one”
Recommended
“there's this other great book called Mastery by Robert Greene and the whole book is about on how you should develop a skill”
Andrew Wilkinson I would say if you read 48 Laws of Power Mastery and the laws of human nature you could read those three bo… 1
Recommended
“I would say if you read 48 Laws of Power Mastery and the laws of human nature you could read those three books over and over”
Cal Newport i mean and green talks about that in mastery right 1
Discussed
“i mean and green talks about that in mastery right”
Jordan Peterson The 50th law which he wrote with 50 Cent the Rapper 2008. Mastery 2012. 1
Discussed
“The 50th law which he wrote with 50 Cent the Rapper 2008. Mastery 2012.”
Lewis Howes he wrote a book called Mastery 1
Mike Winnet I've also had Robert Greene the guy that wrote for yet lost power and mastery and laws of human nature and… 1
Discussed
“I've also had Robert Greene the guy that wrote for yet lost power and mastery and laws of human nature and stuff like that”
Steven Bartlett I think you touched on some of that in Mastery 1
Theo Von you've written so much man 48 Laws of Power um Mastery are the books that I've um absorb the most of 1
Discussed
“you've written so much man 48 Laws of Power um Mastery are the books that I've um absorb the most of”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
Discussed
“And in particular, Mastery, it absolutely changed my life. I read that when I was 20, 22 years old, about 12 years ago, 11 years ago. It totally changed my life. It changed my life because I thought that being a generalist was the way to go. But according to the book Mastery, it was not.”

Also mentioned in the same episodes

Other mentions (37: passing, ad reads, own books)
Plugged
“Um, so what I tell people is you could go on through your 20s and your 30s following a career path that makes you money...”
Plugged
“they don't know what their career is what I call in Mastery their life's task and I talk a lot about it in interviews and in my in the book Mastery”
Passing
“so my mentor was this guy Robert Green who wrote the 408 Laws of Power and master he was this great writer”
Plugged
“so in Mastery I talk about Leonard Da Vinci and how his paintings are so uncanny and weird”
Plugged
“So, I wrote about this in mastery. the value of, you know, people now say the 10,000 hour rule has been debugged, which is a bunch of nonsense.”
Plugged
“So, I don't want to talk down to readers, but I actually also feel great empathy for people who have to work in bad jobs, don't feel like they've understood their life's task to quote something from mastery.”
Plugged
“So the the kind of anger and violence of 48 was inappropriate to seduction, a little more appropriate to war, certainly appropriate to the book for 50 Cent, but not for mastery and not so much for human nature and certainly not for the sublime book.”
Plugged
“So, in mastery, I talk about Leonardo da Vinci and how his paintings are so uncanny and weird because they feel like they're real life. They feel alive and and he does it through detail.”
Plugged
“I hate to say it, but this is a chapter I'm writing right now for my book on mastery. I explain how that comes from biology—you are marked as a unique individual at birth; the combination of variants in your chromosomes is mathematically impossible to replicate.”
Plugged
“and so and I explain in Mastery where that comes from biologically your DNA how you are marked as a unique individual at Birth”
Passing
“Today's guest is Robert Greene, the author of the New York Times bestsellers, The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and most recently of The Daily Laws.”
Passing
“Today's guest is Robert Greene, the author of The New York Times Best Sellers: The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, The Laws of Human Nature, and most recently, The Daily Laws.”
Plugged
“Well, uh to me uh it's why I wrote the book Mastery. Um the way I fill my emptiness and have done it for since I was a kid is through my work”
Passing
“today's guest is one of the bestselling authors of the last 20 years you may know him from his books the 48 Laws of Power and Mastery as well as The Art of Seduction and more books”
Passing
“what was it uh you know in a lot of your books you have The Art of Seduction you have um you have 48 Laws of Power you have Mastery”
Plugged
“Paul Graham we talked about in Mastery you know he says there's the launch”
Plugged
“Robert Green is an author who has written more than five bestselling books including the 48 Laws of Power the laws of human nature and Mastery”
Passing
“Robert Greene is an author who has written more than five bestselling books, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Laws of Human Nature, and Mastery.”
Plugged
“The reason I recommended 'Mastery' is because these students were soon going to enter the great jungle of post-undergraduate education.”
Plugged
“For me, I found 'Mastery' to be an absolutely transformative book in that it taught me so much about how to learn from others and how to expect certain types of interactions when one kind of assigns themselves to a mentor and vice versa.”
Plugged
“I usually end with a great debt of gratitude, and I'll probably do that again at the end, but I want to start with a great debt of gratitude; 'Mastery' transformed my entire life, and in many ways this podcast probably wouldn't exist were it not for 'Mastery.'”
Passing
“he wrote um you know I don't know I think he has five New York time best-selling books um he wrote a book called Mastery”
Plugged
“and you could tell you know I say in in my book Mastery that by a person's style by how they write a book by by how they put language together or the music they create reveals something very very deep about their character about who they are”
Plugged
“if i disbelieve everything that must be a sign that i'm so brilliant because i'm ahead of the curve i can think of exactly what's wrong in your idea but that's not the case at all the greatest scientists in this world and i interviewed one of them for my book mastery ramachandran vs ramachandran”
Passing
“author of as you can see here mastery laws of human nature the 48 laws of power the 33 strategies of war 50th law and the art of seduction”
Passing
“he went and assisted Robert Greene five times New York Times bestselling author mastery 48 laws of power all that stuff”
Passing
“so he went and assisted Robert Greene five times New York Times bestselling author mastery 48 laws of power all that stuff and previous modern wisdom guests went and assisted him for free as a research a research assistant”
Plugged
“and I wrote a book prior to this called mastery and I had a chapter in mastery about social intelligence”
Plugged
“my book mastery and my new book the laws of human nature”
Plugged
“that's I'm trying to get away from all of the political stuff I've described in my previous books and here I'm going to show you how we humans can attain excellence in this world”
Plugged
“I interviewed nine Modern Masters to sort of embed them in monst all the ancient Masters that I talk about”
Plugged
“I'm sort of showing you the various steps that get you there and as Aubrey points out um particularly nowadays it involves a kind of a well-roundedness”

Portraits from Wikimedia Commons: Andrew Huberman, Jamesbrianbounds / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0); Ryan Holiday, Luiz Berengue / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0); Tim Ferriss, Mukhatir at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); Robert Greene, Author Robert Greene / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0); Andrew Wilkinson, University of the Fraser Valley / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0); Jordan Peterson, Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0); Lewis Howes, Lewis Howes / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).