Got Expertise?

With unemployment still high and stagnant job growth much attention has been made to people going on their own to earn a living. There is information available in print and on the web regarding this concept. Whether it is pursuing your passion in another career field, catching the entrpreneurial spirit and starting a business,  or being your own career agent and doing freelance work, there are many resources to help.

One thing that does help get the jump on your competiton is to be an expert in your area. But what does it mean to be an expert? Malcolm Cladwell in his book Outliers states that it takes 10,000 hours to be an expert at something. He cites examples of brilliant musicians and educators to highlight this. On the other hand you can take the view of Daniel Pink in his book Drive in what he calls "mastery asympote" where full mastery can never be realized and its pursuit is both attractive and frustrating. Think of this as not the destination but the journey.

The blog of Zenhabits mentions that being expert enough may be good enough to accomplish your goals. It comes down to continually learning and making mistakes along the way. Ultimately the best marker of success is your audience or customers. But in the beginning, you are your biggest critic. There are three things to keep in mind on the road to proficiency:

Practice: The FAQ  section on the website of author George R.R. Martin, the author of the Song of Fire and Ice books, has a question put to him on what makes a good writer. His answer simply is to write. Write anything. Wheteher its fiction, non-fiction, books, articles, etc. the more you write the better you become.

Persistence: Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. However it took hom months and hundreds of attempts to finally get what he felt was necessary. Continual improvements through a gradual process brought success.

Patience: Ralph Waldo Emerson stated "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." Going at your own pace enhances the learning process.