{"id":45666,"date":"2021-08-14T17:14:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-14T21:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=45666"},"modified":"2021-08-18T14:46:49","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T18:46:49","slug":"become-an-expert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/become-an-expert\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become an Expert: The 2 Steps Toward Mastery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you know how to become an expert at something? What commitment is needed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To become an expert, you must invest a great amount of time. That time must be focused on the right thing for it to be productive. You also need to have a purposeful approach, seeking new and better ways to do what you\u2019re doing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn how to become an expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Become an Expert in 2 Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Achieving exceptional results from time blocking<\/a> requires exceptional effort in three areas: 1) committing yourself to mastery, 2) determining the best way to do something, and 3) holding yourself accountable<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Commit Yourself to Mastery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mastery\u2014becoming an expert\u2014is a process rather than an end result. It\u2019s based on the desire to become the best you can be at doing your most important thing and an understanding that there\u2019s always more to learn. You\u2019ve mastered tasks accomplished in the past, but you\u2019re an apprentice when it comes to future tasks. There\u2019s always a new level of expertise to reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mastery of the right thing topples your first domino and \u201cmakes everything else easier or no longer necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides requiring a mindset of continual learning<\/a>, becoming an expert<\/a> requires a significant investment of time. The time you spend is ultimately more important than talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychologist K. Anders Ericsson debunked the idea that top performers excel because they\u2019re gifted. He found that the key to reaching elite levels was intense and \u201cdeliberate\u201d practice over many years\u2014for instance, top violinists accumulated over 10,000 hours of practice by age 20. If you put in 250 work days a year on your One Thing, you need to average four hours a day to amass 10,000 hours in ten years. (Shortform note: Read more about why high-quality practice matters more than talent in our summary of Ericsson\u2019s book Peak<\/em><\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you approach your focused time blocks with a \u201cmastery mentality,\u201d each level you achieve prepares you for the next<\/strong>\u2014your growing knowledge, skills, and competence give you momentum for further successes. Becoming an expert is a process that \u201ckeeps on giving.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Determine the Best<\/em> Way<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you set out to do something, you have a choice of either doing it the best you can or doing it <\/strong>the best it can possibly be done<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doing something the best you can is an entrepreneurial approach. With an entrepreneurial mindset<\/a>, you see what needs to be done and jump into it by applying your energy and ability. However, everyone has an ability limit and will top out. For instance, some people hit their home-repair skill limit as soon as they pick up a hammer, while others become an expert at using it. If your goal is to just do your best, then you\u2019re done once you reach your talent limit. Your best effort won\u2019t bring you exceptional success\u2014that requires continually improving how<\/em> you do your One Thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of an entrepreneurial approach, you must take a purposeful approach. This means not stopping when you reach your knowledge and talent limit, but seeking new and better ways to do what you\u2019re doing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an example comparing the two approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n