How to Be an Expert …
Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts in becoming an expert. It is not like the movie The Matrix. We cannot download a kung-fu program into our brains, and all of the sudden be a kung-fu master.
Mastering anything takes time, effort, and practice. While there are no shortcuts to mastery, usually the path to gaining any type of expertise is relatively straightforward. You simply need to be willing to walk the path.
If that is true then why is the world crowded with so many people who desire to accomplish something great, yet never even come close to their dreams?
Why is the world so crowded with wannabes, and so deficient in true experts?
Is the path simply too hard? Or is there something more basic going on? Maybe it is because we are inherently lazy? Maybe it is because too many people are looking for shortcuts, while the true disciples of mastery are walking the path one step at a time.
Leo Babauta, who runs the blog called Zen Habits, recently had Corbett Barr of Expert Enough as a guest poster on his blog. Corbett found that although there are no shortcuts to becoming an expert, there are some principles you can follow to help you stay on track. These five principles act like guideposts on the road to mastery.
“Part of me expected to find some secret shortcuts to becoming an expert, and part of me knew better. I’m most interested in how people gain expert-level skills and knowledge on multiple subjects quickly. Being a renaissance man has always appealed to me, as has getting very good at just a couple of things. Both types of expertise are as fascinating as they are useful.
Despite wanting to believe secrets and shortcuts to expertise exist, deep down I think I’ve always known what you probably know too: becoming an expert takes hard work, focus and dedication.
The fact that secrets don’t exist is a good thing in my book, because we can stop wasting time searching for secrets and start making direct progress towards our goals. Instead of looking for secrets, rely simply on these best practices for becoming an expert… “
Corbett Barr
So, whether you are trying to become a modern day renaissance man or just gain mastery in a few disciplines, then meditating on these principles can lead you onward towards becoming an expert.
How to be an expert – refined …
1. A Redefinition:
Remember that the term expert is a relative term. There is no such thing as someone who knows everything. Even Albert Einstein spent the last weeks of his life struggling to push the boundaries of his knowledge.
You may already be an expert in certain things. You might not be the person who knows the most, but you may have already achieved some level of learning that qualifies you as an expert to some people.
This helps too because it sets easier benchmarks for you to accomplish. Maybe you do not need to be the best marketer of all time. Maybe you are already in a good place to begin to teach others. Maybe becoming an expert is closer than you originally thought.
2. Become a Student:
Becoming an expert takes a great deal of learning. You need to become a good student. Reading a lot of great books on your subject helps a lot. You are also going to want to read the blogs that are out there on the subject you are trying to master. This will keep you current on what people who have already become experts are talking about. It will teach you to think the way they think.
Also, one of the missing ingredients to being a great student is experience. This is where many colleges fail their students. They give them tons of book smarts, but no real world experience. You need to put what you are learning into practice, keeping in mind that you do not truly know a thing, until you have experienced it.
3. Keep Your Focus:
Keeping your focus can be one of the hardest things to do. This is what separates a true beginner from becoming a master—focus. You need to stay focused on what you are doing now, and not get sidetracked by the bigger picture. Corbett borrows Leo’s four-step process for changing a habit, and adopts it to help you keep your focus:
- Start very small.
- Do only one change at a time.
- Be present and enjoy the activity (don’t focus on results).
- Be grateful for every step you take.
4. Ask For Help:
Help comes in the form of mentors, supportive family, and friends. Not everyone can have the luxury of being mentored by someone who is already a world-renowned expert. However, everyone can form a great support group to draw strength from.
5. Don’t Be Afraid of Mistakes:
Do not be afraid to make mistakes. Fear of looking unintelligent keeps most people from even starting their dreams. Do not allow yourself to fall into this trap. Give yourself permission to make as many mistakes as you need to. It is necessary in the pursuit of excellence.
Anyone, who has ever reached a level of being an expert will tell you that their road was littered with many mistakes. Do not let any amount of mistakes stop you, because mistakes are an opportunity to learn. We can redirect our efforts based on the lessons taught through our mistakes and the mistakes of others.
So what did you think of this “how to be an expert” blog post? Let me know in the comments below!
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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks, Chris (and others)
I appreciate the post since it is like a gentle nudge to think about it again. The comments seem to reiterate the fact that lots of people have something good to offer. Just because there is someone who is considered an expert, it does not mean that you can’t be too. The world is small, but not that small. Room for all. Thanks again!
I think one of the real keys to becoming expert is the willingness to fail, many time you learn more through your mistakes then you do when you get it right the first time. also being willing to learn from other peoples mistakes and success can take you down the path to your own success, bottom line, there is nothing you can learn that wont be helpful.
Great material Chris!
Most people over-estimate the expertise of “gurus”, whether they be TV personalities or Internet bloggers, and under-estimate their own knowledge. An important key is realistically identifying your own talents. Does everyone in your office come to you for help on spreadsheets? Do people ask your opinion about personal relationships? Are you calm in crisis? Observe the interactions with the people around you and you will begin to see where your talent might lie. Then you can begin to apply the well-stated steps in this post. The hardest part is knowing where to start!
The article is cool and like the idea of not giving up even when mistakes are made.
Thanks Chris
Nice one Chris. Precise and informative
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I think this is very helpful how to make small beginnings of being an expert at something.
Thanks Chris.
I think that i very like it. I hope to get it.
Your suggestions to become a so called Expert in any given field are well taken. I have a few other suggestions. 1. Start early. I was lucky to have a father who enjoyed gardening. In 1941 at the age of 5 I was given Pea and Carrot seeds to plant my very first garden and am now still gardening and considered an expert and as proof I have won first and best in show at many Agricultural Exhibitions where the competition is fierce. I grow vegetables, flowers and fruit. I have accumulated a huge Library of gardening books to which I refer to on a regular basis 2. Never stop learning. Read up on your chosen field. Go to the Library if you do not have the money to buy some of the more expensive Books. Hope this is helpful. Cheers.
Thanks for the excellent additions!
Have you ever thought about creating an information product around gardening?
Or perhaps a blog?
@ Chris!
………..trying and failing, can we then overcome and succeed.
Interestingly that is what SAINTS are made of too.
SAINTS are those who fall down and get up!
yeah! saints
thanks Christ.
You rock man!
I think these are all words of wisdom
I am printing it and post it on the wall to remind myself
to keep learning from them
thank you!
james
Your post on How to become expert is very much fundamently correct.
Every expert in his own field is folowing the principals you mention in this post.
Thank you Chris for this great post.
Specially the step 5 is very important. “Not being afraid to make mistakes”, this has also been a factor that has kept me sitting on the fence. Trying to do things in a perfect way can be a big obstacle in going forward.
Many times I have encounter that somebody did something that I could have done x times better, but didn’t do it because I wanted to avoid every mistake as possible.
Being left out by having this attitude of trying to do things almost to perfection.
I have read many times the phrase: “Doers are winners”
Fortunately we are in the lucky position to learn and also to change/better our attitude, even if better means to be a little less accurate but be a “DOER” without loosing focus of our goal.
It can be a long and lonely journey to shake the old habits but Step-by-Step can be done. Just like the saying goes: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time”
Thanks and I’ll keep taking the steps even if they are tiny steps.
Everardo
I really like the idea of not being afraid to make mistakes. I know this has held me back many times and it is encouraging to know that all the experts made them and it is probably what made them experts.
Experts are those who have made the most mistakes. Something that always strikes me is when I see professional surfers surfing. Many times they have tremendous wipeouts. You would think that pros would never crash, but that is not the case. They are pushing themselves and pushing the envelope. So they have spectacular crashes.
Only by pushing the boundaries and trying and failing, can we then overcome and succeed.
Great thought here, this should be included in number 5 above. Strive for the tremendous wipeouts!
Hi Chris
my ex is a furniture maker – and I have to say I was wholly in awe of him in his skill. I helped him out if things got tight for deadlines, and gradually through listening got the knack of cutting things the right length and fitting them carefully. But I was always making mistakes, having made a mistake I would panic, run for help and look at the mess. I was always gently told what to do right and steered on the right course – which usually included a kiss and a hug to cheer me up! (It cheered him up too!)
One day, a long time afterwards, he casually said “what do you think I should do with this?” so I went over and found that he had made a mistake. He hadn’t panicked, he just took it in his stride and put it right.
Over the course of the next month – when I wasn’t cooking or picking up the kids – I noticed that he made quite a few mistakes. He just didn’t panic, put it right and strode on.
Believe me, he was an expert, but his attitude was never one of being the greatest, but he was proud of his work. With good reason.
Good info. It would really helpful both online nd offline enterprinure even a beginer like me.
Chris,
Very good post here. I think that there are several things that will keep one from achieving his dreams and two that I am very familiar with follow below.
The instant gratification mentality is one and another is chatter. Chatter being the main one. I know this from experience. I get so many emails from marketers that have the next shiny object that you just gotta have is a form of the chatter that I am talking about.
I have had to stop reading all these emails and delete them so that I dont get pulled in all these different directions. To get to where you want to be, staying Focused by cutting out all the chatter is very important.
Like you mention above you need to be a student of what you want to accomplish. If there are others that have went the path successfully, you can speed this process by learning from them.
I also think that to have your plans in black and white that will be in your face every day and check off the steps as you reach them helps you to see that you are making progress and getting closer to the goal helps to keep you focused.
Keep up the good work!
Your emails are not one of what delete.
Yes, Focus is very important! And like you said, not getting caught up by the next shiny object that comes along. Very good point!
To me,i think been an expert at times is inborn.chris article is encouraging but i will like to add that many prefer shortcut as chris said earlier because they have been “sleeping” for many years and it’s impossible to the push back the hand of time when they woke so they will look for any possible means to meet up.it’s not their fault,it’s their environment.oh!it’s their fault because they let their environment to subdue them.
Once again Chris… you have gave all of us more solid concepts and information on branding ourselves. This is awesome stuff… many people will never have the confidence to call themselves an “Expert”. I hope this would help them in that journey of transition!
Be Awesome Chris!
Thanks
Thanks Michael! I’m glad you found it helpful.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE NICE ARTICLE ! IT IS REALLY VERY INFORMATIVE AND ENRICHING OUR VISION AS AN EXPERT IN AREA OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP