Welcome to another Ask the Readers segment.
When we first launched Expert Enough we talked about whether or not shortcuts exist to becoming an expert, but what if you are getting closer and closer to that “elite” level. When can you officially start labeling yourself as an expert?
Do other people need to give you the label first? Are there other titles that work just as well, but don’t make it seem like you’re boasting?
How long do you think you need to be doing something until you can call yourself an expert? What milestones or accomplishments make it OK?
We’d love to hear in the comments below.
Last time on Ask the Readers
Previously we asked whether you thought the 10,000 rule was the only way to become an expert.
One of our favorite answers came from Hugo in the comments of the post:
With the right approach, you don’t need 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery at something. There is always a better way. Find it.
Agreed. No matter what you are trying to do, there is probably a better way. Search for that better way and do it.
We also liked Kate’s answer:
The 10K hour rule is too big a generalization. The MW definition of expert is “one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of the subject.” There are subjects that can be mastered in a week. On the other hand, I’ve been parenting for 21 years (I have five kids; that number is chronological, not cumulative) and I’ve fairly certain that there is no such thing as a “parenting expert.”
It seems the responses were split between those of you who agree with the 10,000 hour rule and those who don’t.
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But, back to today’s question: when can you start calling yourself an expert?
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I would say that ‘expert’ is a relative term, as proposed by this very website. You can be more of an expert than someone else. You can be ‘the’ expert if you know more than anyone else, though I’m still wary of being ‘the’ expert, as there are always related fields that affect your own.
Hi there, I love what Seth Godin wrote on the 10.000 hour rule:
“You win when you become the best in the world, however ‘best’ and ‘world’ are defined by your market. In many mature markets, it takes 10,000 hours of preparation to win because most people give up after 5,000 hours. That’s the only magic thing about 10k… it’s a hard number to reach, so most people bail.”
“But, ready for this? The Dip is much closer in niche areas, new areas, unexplored areas. You can get through the Dip in an online network or with a new kind of music because being seen as the best in that area is easier (at least for now). You can get through the Dip as a real estate broker in a new, growing town a lot quicker than someone in midtown Manhattan. The competition is thinner and probably less motivated.”
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/12/10000-hours.html
And I agree with him. You probably need 10.000 hours of deliberate practice to compete with the best, say, violinists. But you need far less time to be unique and to develop style – say, to be the most entertaining violinist in your country (you know, someone who knows how to make jokes and how to make a strong emotional impact on the audience).
When someone else in your niche calls you an expert. Not your mom.
I think that you can call yourself an expert in something when you can do it without thinking, NLP says that there are some stages in learning
Unconscious Incompetence = where you do not know about the ability and you are not able to do it
conscious incompetence = where you know about the ability but you are not able to do it
conscious competence = where you can do it, but need all your attention into it, for example when you are learning to drive
unconscious competence = when you can do it without thinking anymore, again, when you can drive without thinking too much about it
Rodrigo, I completely disagree with you on being called an expert when you can do it without thinking. As in your example, I can drive without thinking, but I am not a driving expert. My parents, I would assume, can drive without thinking but they are both far from being experts (just ride with them to see) Being comfortable with a task does not make you an expert. I can run without thinking about it but it does not make me a world-class runner.
To become an expert, it takes practice and hard work. I do not know any world class musicians, but I feel quite confident that they do not do their best performances without thinking about their actions. They have extreme focus and dedication and that, among other things, makes them world class.
I believe in the 10,000 hour rule to be world-class in something but that does not necessarily mean you can’t be an expert without that much work. Being called or calling yourself an expert is very subjective; I am not a blogging expert but to someone who has never read or wrote a blog, they would think I am.
You need to have a high degree of confidence in your “expertise.” You gain this required certainty, when if contacted for consultation you can respond with confidence. As was said previously, there is no time limit to achieve this stage.
Saying all that, no one knows everything; a true expert, knows his/her resources – where to find the right information.
Oh Rodrigo, you certainly made me laugh. It is my experience that about 95% of American drivers fall into the unconscious competence category. Most of them certainly give very little thought to actually driving. LOL and LOL again.
Now, what was the question again? I’m trying to get these tears wiped from my eyes.
Oh yeah, when may one call himself an expert? If one is truly an expert, he need not say so.
When you know just a little more than one other person.
I say that somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but on a deeper level I really mean it. The beauty of expertise is that it is a continuum not a line that you cross.
Nothing builds expertise quite like practicing at it. And being an expert doesn’t preclude you from being a learner. In fact, it requires it!
The more expertise you develop, the more you realize how much you have yet to learn.
Calling yourself an expert creates a dialogue about whether you’re expert or not; It doesn’t increase your knowledge or authority.
Apply your knowledge and help people.
When enough people have been helped they will apply the label for you.
You can call yourself an expert whenever you can back it up with action.
I consider myself an expert on how to get a fork to my mouth, but I see no way I will ever fully be an expert in mental health or behaviorism. I have 31 years experience working with the fork and feel I have mastered this ability; however, life has a way of reminding us we don’t know everything, no matter how much we know.
Oh and I poked my tongue with a fork yesterday.
I think it depends on the feedback of the community you’re serving. If 80% of them are approaching you for help in a certain field, then you are an expert whether you state it or not.
I never want to get to the point where I think of myself as an expert at teaching little kids tennis. I believe in the Zen axiom: KEEP A BEGINNER’S MIND to keep LEARNING AND GROWING. NEVER BECOME SATISFIED.
Hi Caleb,
I used to hold the view that an ‘expert’ was something who knew a lot about one particular subject.
I’ve since changed that view. My definition of an expert is ‘someone whom people come to for advice on a particular subject’.
The thing is, this expert doesn’t even have to have all the answers – as long as he/she knows the right answer at the right time, then that qualifies them as an expert in my opinion.
An expert will normally be the first to tell you that they will do their best but don’t know it all. An expert has failed many times and will admit it when asked. If not you have found a pompous, narcissistic individual you might want to think twice about.
This interesting topic and thread brought up a lot of thoughts in me, so I wrote them up: http://franklinchen.com/blog/2012/02/24/when-can-you-call-yourself-an-expert-at-something/