The Lifelong Learner :: Do what you can, with what you have, where you are -Roosevelt ::

I want to be an expert (in everything I engage in ). I’m sure you do too.

Do you like to do things that are not fun for you to do? (Re-read that.) If so, you’ll become an expert one day. (I’m sure you are aware of this, and you’re doing this consciously.) Most of the people like to do things that they’re already good at. If you’d like to become an expert, however, it is essential for you to practice the things that are a pain for you; it is essential that you suck for a while; and on and on; this will never stop.

Kathy Sierra, in her post, How to be an expert, goes into details about this. She does an excellent job. I believe in what she’s saying. The following is the key paragraph in the post:

Most of us want to practice the things we’re already good at, and avoid the things we suck at. We stay average or intermediate amateurs forever.

Yet the research says that if we were willing to put in more hours, and to use those hours to practice the things that aren’t so fun, we could become good. Great. Potentially brilliant. We need a rage to master.

As for me, I think I’m going in that direction. The hardest thing to do, I think, is to figure out where you want to go, and what are some of the things that you need to improve. As I look back, I’m asking myself: Am I better in this than I was a year ago? Where am I now, what do I need to do to get better? This is a step by step process, inch by inch. I think I’m getting better and I’m happy with the overall process.

ReferenceHow to be an expert, Kathy Sierra, Creating Passionate Users blog