It’s a natural desire to want to be good at something. Personal growth, purpose and passion instill immense feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment. Is there a field of study you’re interested in, a sport you’re passionate about, or a musical instrument you’d like to master? An expert is someone with extensive knowledge or ability in a specific area. Did you know that spending time developing a talent or engaging in a something you’re passionate about is amazing for the immune system? Follow the tips below on how to become an expert at anything!
Malcolm Gladwell is responsible for the idea that it takes 10,000 hours of intensive learning and practice to be proficient in one’s chosen field of endeavor, with time being the distinguishing factor determining the outcome.
Mastery begins by first choosing an area of interest you’d like to become proficient in, then devoting a significant amount of time to studying, learning, practicing, and implementing what you learn. Take it one step further by mentoring those who are just beginning.
Table of Contents
How To Become An Expert
Believe In Yourself
Do you believe in yourself? Before beginning something new, a certain degree of confidence in your own abilities is a necessary prerequisite. Do you have the drive and dedication it takes to master a new skill? Take a personal inventory to determine if you have the desire and follow through to become an expert in the area you’ve chosen.
Passion fuels ambition and motivation. Whether it’s music, athletics, or a particular field of study, passion must be part of the equation. You won’t go the extra mile if you’re not interested and invested in your subject. Do you want to learn:
- A new language
- How to play a musical instrument
- To sing
- To draw
- To play chess
- To excel at public speaking
- To sew or cook
- To ski, play tennis, or fly fishing
- To excel at a particular field of study
There is so much to learn and do in life. What area do you want to exceed in and why? Why do you want to become an expert? It’s your why that will carry you through tough times when you’re tempted to quit. Have a purposeful mindset.
Decide To Be An Expert
Deciding is the next step after believing. Make a mental decision you’re going to become an expert in whatever field you choose. Commitment comes next. Decision and commitment are half the battle.
Once you’ve taken these initial steps, formulate a plan, breaking it down into smaller, doable tasks to improve performance.
Here’s the sequence:
1. Believe
2. Decide
3. Commit
4. Formulate
5. Learn
6. Practice
7. Teach
Learn And Study
Here’s where you buckle down and do the hard work of learning and studying. It will take dedication, and a whole lot of time. Focus on one area in which you’d like to excel. Then eat and breathe everything having to do with that subject. Make it an integral part of your life.
Read everything you can get your hands on about your area of focus; playing tennis, learning the violin, or financial investing, whatever it is, make every effort to learn all you can.
Observe yourself while learning. Film yourself practicing that new backhand technique, or listen to yourself performing that difficult Chopin piece you’ve been tackling on the piano. After watching and listening to yourself, you’ll know for certain what needs improvement.
Take courses from a variety of sources. Explore every angle of your chosen field. The internet makes it convenient and cost-effective to learn online on your own schedule. Platforms like Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, Intellipaat, and Simpliv are affordable, and a great way to learn a variety of new skills.
Find a mentor and learn from their mistakes. People who have gained proficiency in athletics, music, or academics have paid the price of mastery.
They’ve made numerous mistakes along the way. Align yourself with those who have already put in the hard work. They can alert you to many of the pitfalls they’ve already encountered on the road to success. From their unique perspective and vantage point, they’ll be able to offer tips for improvement based on the hindsight they’ve acquired through the years.
Join a Mastermind Group. Networking is powerful, and feedback from like-minded people is a great way to accelerate the learning process. We all have different view, opinions and outlooks. Fresh perspectives add new dimensions to the way we see things. Learn how others mastered the skill you’re currently working on. There’s an inexhaustible stream of useful tips and tricks they can offer.
Being part of a group is a great way to receive unconditional support, especially during times of frustration and fatigue. Participants in Mastermind Groups challenge each other to be better, brainstorm ways to effectively implement goals, and provide ongoing encouragement to all members. They’ll cheer you on when you’re having a bad day, and want to give up.
Just Keep Going
Don’t ever quit. Practice makes perfect, well kind of. Perfection isn’t attainable, but a high degree of skill is. The more time you spend mastering your craft, the more expertise you’ll acquire. Any worthwhile endeavor requires a ton of desire, commitment, and dedication. Perseverance is key when becoming an expert. Remembering your why will give you the needed motivation to keep practicing.
It’s not easy stepping out of your comfort zone. Champions are people who had, not only the courage to begin, but the stamina to continue learning, perfecting, and applying their skills, even on difficult days.
Keep learning until your skill becomes second nature. You’ll eventually reach a tipping point where your practice pays off. Continue increasing your competence, and over time you’ll be recognized for the expert you are. People will come to see you as an influencer, and one with authority.
Application And Teaching
Learning is vital, but so is application. When you apply what you’ve learned, you cement it into your consciousness. Information is necessary but its application is what translates into action. Mastery of a skill or talent is becoming so adept and so familiar with it, you can almost do it automatically. Mastery is not innate ability, but rather transformation, resulting from hard work, diligence and hours and hours of trying to get it right.
Now is the time to give back, by teaching and inspiring others with your knowledge and expertise. Mentor a beginner who’s just starting out, educate those learning the skills you’ve already mastered through speaking engagements, and teaching workshops and online courses.
Share your skills and build authority by mentoring those who are in the position you used to be in. They will come to trust, value, and respect you for your knowledge and mastery of your subject.
Key Points
Everyone becomes a master at something – either by choice or by default. We all become something. What will you become a master of? Transformation brings immense satisfaction and fulfillment, and is always worth the time and effort it requires.
Choose today what you want to accomplish, and go for it. Whatever you choose, whatever your level of proficiency, stay humble, realizing they’re always more to learn. You never quite fully arrive. Keep learning and applying, and then share your knowledge and skills by giving back. This is how we enrich our own lives, and the lives of others.
Are you an expert at something? Would you take a few minutes to share your journey? Let me know in the comments:)
Dear Coaches Against Cancer,
That’s a great and informative post you’ve given us right here! And it has taught me that I’m the one limiting myself on becoming an expert in any area of life I so desire.
I’m the kind of person that has tried about seven of the items you have listed: new language, instrument, public speaking, you name it. And now you’ve made me see that I’m the one who gives up too soon.
If the target sum is 10,000 hours, then I need to strategize again and take more consistent steps daily. Maybe it will take me less time since I already have a tangible grasp in some of these areas.
Thanks again!
Boniface from AndroidBix
Hello,
Thank you, I appreciate your comment. As is so often the case, we do limit ourselves by becoming frustrated and impatience, which is the perfect recipe for quitting. I think that’s awesome you’ve tried so many different things. That’s how we find out if one or two particular areas suit us well enough to pursue expert status. Strategy, perseverance and consistency are all characteristics of expertise!
Thanks for helping me understand that I first have to evaluate my present position and focus on one particular subject at a time. Becoming perfect overnight is surely not going to happen without getting rid of my scattered thoughts. I believe practicing these steps will lead to expertise in my chosen field.
Hi and thanks for reading. You are welcome. I enjoyed writing this article. Focus and time are surely key in mastering expertise in any area!
Confidence in oneself will either make or mar one’s progress and goal at becoming an expert in whatever one chooses. I totally agree with your submissions on this post because, believing and having confidence in one’s ability is a great virtue that few possess.
Also, I totally agree with the fact that, one needs to learn and apply what is learned through consistent application. I really value this post a lot and will surely send it out to people on my social media platforms. Great post, I enjoyed it. Thanks!
Yes, confidence is an integral trait one must have in order to achieve greatness, whatever that looks like specifically to each individual. Many people don’t have it or if they do, don’t have enough of it to carry them to the finish line. Thanks for sharing my post!
This is an excellent article! It makes perfect sense regarding how to become an expert at anything. That’s what I’m trying to do with my website. But these are really great tips! You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.
I’m so glad that I came across your article because I am going to look into other things that I could be an expert at! Is there any one thing that should be done right off the bat?
Hi Rob,
Thank you. Succeeding online is a great endeavor! Yes, I believe that great things can be accomplished when people decide upon a course of action and then execute their plan.
In my opinion, the first step must be a burning passion or desire. Without that, not much happens. The person trying to be an expert, at whatever they choose, first must be passionate in order to make their dream a reality. Without passion, they’ll quit when the going gets tough, which it will because that’s how life works.
Thanks so much for your comment!
An interesting read and concept. I think there are two distinguishing factors here that need to be considered.
When talking about expertise within any field or endeavor, do we mean expertise in knowledge or expertise in practice?
If it’s subject matter, expertise in knowledge, then this is a very good framework and I believe offers the roadmap for success, if applied with rigour and diligence.
If we are talking about expertise in practice, then there are biological or physiological factors that also come into play. I coming at this angle really from a sporting perspective, but want to stimulate wider discussion.
For example to be an expert footballer, a level of natural speed strength and co-ordination is required. To be an expert basketball player (at the top professional level) then I dare say a certain body composition is required for truly expert application?
Would love to hear others opinions.
Hello,
Thanks for asking these insightful questions. In my opinion, expertise requires both knowledge and practice. I don’t believe they are exclusive.
Addressing your concept of “expertise in practice,” I agree that biological or physiological factors come into play. Perhaps, that’s why people that are gifted with tall genes, for instance, become excellent basketball players, and those with above-average speed, co-ordination and strength may naturally gravitate to sports like football.
Becoming an expert than would piggyback off those natural gifts and talents. Expertise in knowledge, likewise may also encompass natural affinities for analytical thinking, and an ability to retain information and break down concepts.
Thank you for initiating an interesting conversation!
This is a great motivational article. In fact, I am happy with your work. You publish very supportive data, really. Continue. Continue blogging. Hope to explore your next post
Thank you. I appreciate your comment:)
Belief in oneself will either make or mar one’s progress and goal at becoming an expert in whatever one chooses. I agree with your submissions on this post because believing and having confidence in one’s ability is a great virtue that few possess.
Also, I agree that one needs to learn and apply what is learned through consistent application. I value this post a lot and will indeed send it out to people on my social media platforms. Great post. I enjoyed it. Thanks!
Thank you so much. Belief, confidence, and consistency are the secret sauce. I’m so glad you enjoyed my post!