On Becoming an Expert(30sleeps.com)
30sleeps.com
On Becoming an Expert
http://30sleeps.com/blog/2009/01/28/becoming-an-expert/
7 comments
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The post isn't really well structured, but the key points here are:
* Expertise isn't an achievement, it's how we define a certain number or quality of achievements.
* Becoming an expert on a skill is about learning that skill's vocabulary so well that you can express yourself in it as you wish.
* Your metrics for expertise in a skill should be put in terms a non-expert can understand, if you want to be recognized as an expert.
* Expertise isn't an achievement, it's how we define a certain number or quality of achievements.
* Becoming an expert on a skill is about learning that skill's vocabulary so well that you can express yourself in it as you wish.
* Your metrics for expertise in a skill should be put in terms a non-expert can understand, if you want to be recognized as an expert.
I wouldn't agree with this summary. I think he was saying
1) Expertise is relative.
His example included the temporal nature of the "cutting-edge" in computing. What was consider best practice 10 years ago is no longer considered even ok.
2) Achieve things by setting an actionable next step instead of a goal of becoming an "expert"
A next step e.g. getting a patch into Rails Core will move you forward, trying to be an "expert" cause you to do things which make you an expert in the eyes of others. I.e. you'll work to fulfill the definition in 1)
1) Expertise is relative.
His example included the temporal nature of the "cutting-edge" in computing. What was consider best practice 10 years ago is no longer considered even ok.
2) Achieve things by setting an actionable next step instead of a goal of becoming an "expert"
A next step e.g. getting a patch into Rails Core will move you forward, trying to be an "expert" cause you to do things which make you an expert in the eyes of others. I.e. you'll work to fulfill the definition in 1)
"Experts aren't really experts. They suck at what they do. They just suck a little bit less than everybody else around them at the time."
Disagree. There are "experts" and there are Experts. Some Ruby on Rails blogger guy is an "expert"; Plácido Domingo is an Expert.
Disagree. There are "experts" and there are Experts. Some Ruby on Rails blogger guy is an "expert"; Plácido Domingo is an Expert.
The last paragraph is great
"Be less concerned with the adjectives of success–good, great, world-class–and more concerned with taking a worthwhile next step. The path to expertise is the path to nowhere in particular. When you get specific, you get results."
"Be less concerned with the adjectives of success–good, great, world-class–and more concerned with taking a worthwhile next step. The path to expertise is the path to nowhere in particular. When you get specific, you get results."
How do you become an expert? Change your concept of expertise! Another excellent article from 30sleeps about thinking outside the box to achieve your goals
Research does show that it matters whether you choose to focus on one specific subset of the activity, or whether you just practice the activity. Deliberate practice requires that you work with the specific goal of improving a specific weakness. The fact that benefit from practice starts to decline after two hours demonstrates the amount of effort required in deliberate practice.