Recently I have been reading the 4-hour work week from author Timothy Ferriss. I got inspired from his advice on how to become an expert in a really short time.
Often it is assumed that experts are people who have been working on their skill of expertise for many years. However, a lot of people already consider you an expert if you know more then them about a subject. Even if that more is just a little.
For example creating a WordPress blog. For people that do not know anything about WordPress or web design creating a site could seem like a total out of their league skill. To some people I am already an expert, even though I know I am not.
It does not mean that you have to pretend your something your not. You don’t to have done an expert exam. Isn’t being an expert just a term? Is there really an official required level of skills that you need to have to become one?
Credibility indicators
Like Ferriss I believe that proof of expertise is the number of times you are named in the media, the list of clients that you have or the number of positive testimonials you collected. You can study for a few years and have a Ph.D. in for example marketing. Of course you have gained knowledge over those years but what you really have been studying for is that Ph.D. title. That Ph.D. is making you an expert in peoples eyes. It is what Ferriss terms a credibility indicatort. Building up credibility, knowing more then others and provide them a good and honest service. That will make people respect you and they will recommend your qualities to others. Start collecting those positive recommendations and become an expert.
For more information about this idea of Timothy Ferris I strongly recommend everybody to read his book. His advice about how to become an expert is something that really got me thinking.
Setting Goals
Now it is time to actually start achieving some goals. When I plan I write down my daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals. I am thinking about making 3 months goal as well but I don’t want to have the goal to far away. I know my fast changing interest in subjects and many things can happen in the mean time. So keep the deadlines short but don’t make the goals to easy. I set out highly ambitious goals to keep me interested. To easy goals would get me bored an I would probably not achieve them. Set out highly unrealistic goals to have a bigger change of succeeding.
Tell us what you think
Dear readers I would like to know what your goals are and which timeliness you usually set out for them? I am also interested on which subject you guys feel you can be an expert and what do you do to show that.