How to Become an Expert in Any Field

We practice the things we want to be good at. Otherwise, we don’t actually master them. What are you practicing right now? 

As a kid, I took piano lessons. My dad taught my siblings and me for a stint. Then after a break from chopsticks, we took lessons for a few years from a teacher who (it felt like) expected us to practice as much as she did. My maximum time ever practicing in one sitting was 1 hour. And that was only a joke so she would think I played only 1 minute during a practice.

I learned a ton about music from the piano. I determined that I would learn to play a complicated classic duet with my dad. I didn’t want to be a piano master per se. I just wanted to be good enough to impress people if they asked me to play. However, when I hit college, I chose to drop the piano so that I could focus on my studies. I haven’t really sat down and practiced since.

The lonely pianist

Unfortunately, mastering something comes from practicing when others don’t see it. As Dave Ramsey likes to say about his business, “After 20 years, we were an overnight success!” I love this quote because it humorously portrays the work it takes to reach success in a specific profession or even a hobby.

If you want to become an expert, you have to master the simple when no one is watching. To be a master pianist, thousands of hours must go into practice… alone!

Personally, I’m practicing the art of writing. They say practice makes perfect. I don’t think I’ll ever be perfect at writing, but I do want to be good. I want to be inspiring. I want to be effective. That comes with practice. 

I’ll be honest, I don’t get much readership on this blog, but that’s okay. I’m practicing right now. And when someone asks what kind of experience I have, I’ll show them all of the practice that I’ve had up to that point!

Practice might not make perfect, but it will make an expert.

What are you practicing right now in which you want to be an expert?

I want to hear from you!

And as always, if you found value in this post, give it a like and give me a follow!

-Caleb