How To Become An Expert

If you’re stuck and having a hard time achieving your goals then maybe some additional expertise might help.  Perhaps that’s getting a higher degree, learning a new skill, or simply trying something different.  Gaining more knowledge to become an expert can give you the extra confidence you need in order to finally take action and achieve your goals.

Knowledge

As someone who loves to learn, you crave more knowledge.  Knowledge gives you power.  It makes you feel smart.  You learn and grow through educating yourself with more knowledge.  However, there is a difference between someone who just consumes all the information for mental awareness versus someone who actually applies the knowledge and becomes an experienced expert in that particular field.

Educated Expert

The educated expert is someone who has read all the books, watched the videos, listened to audios and can talk about the methods and strategies associated with the topic.  However, the educated expert has very limited knowledge on the actual application of the skill.  The educated expert hasn’t physically done the work required to perform the task.  It’s all third hand knowledge that simply boils down to book smarts.

Experienced Expert

The experienced expert is someone who is in the trenches doing the work.  The experienced expert learns by taking action.  The experienced expert is often self taught and learns by trail and error.  Over time, the experienced expert has perfected the method and can perform the task practically blind folded.

Expert Example

For example, your goal is to learn how to ski.  Would you rather learn from the educated expert or the experienced expert?  Most likely the experienced expert who has spent years on the slopes and knows all the best tactics.  The experienced expert has better instincts that can show you extra tips and pointers that can be really useful on the slopes.  But only because the experienced expert has gotten out there and done the activity to find out.  For the educated expert, it’s all a hypothesis of what they think will happen, not what they actually know to be true since they’ve never experienced it for themselves.  You can become the educated expert, gaining all the knowledge, but until you physically get out on the slopes and give it a shot, you won’t have the knowhow to become the experienced expert.

Expert Learning Style

Now think about how you learn best.  If you learned all this book smart knowledge and had to take a written test you would probably pass.  However, if you had to demonstrate the knowledge and showcase the method through action, then you would most likely struggle.  Again, consider the skiing example.  You wouldn’t be an expert skier if you’ve never put on skis and skied before.  The real learning is in the doing.  This is how you gain true knowledge and expertise.  It’s not by simply taking another course, reading another book, or watching another video.  It’s by getting out there and giving the activity a try.  It’s getting messy, learning by making mistakes, adjusting, and refining to eventually become the most experienced expert in the field.

Life is all about the adventure of learning and growing.  Those that actually achieve their goals are the most experienced experts who get out there, do the work, and try.  While the educated experts sit back in their comfort zone and learn everything they can without ever taking any taking action.  The experienced expert is not afraid to fail and knows that achieving their goal requires doing the work.  Become the expert who takes action and achieves big goals in life.  You've got this!