Who would you rather see if you have a health issue: a Professor who has spent years reading books about surgery, or a surgeon who practices his craft everyday? Who would you rather trust to teach your kids; the teacher your friend tells you his kids loved, or the newbie with no recommendations? Who would you select to design your home, the architect with the portfolio of beautiful homes, or the architect who says he can do it but has nothing to show?
We all want to deal with experts in life. We don’t want to pay money for people who do a half job or are inexperienced. We also don’t want to be those people. We don’t want to be someone who messes up on a job, who fumbles their way through a project feeling inexperienced and making lots of errors.
In order to gain respect and to grow in our careers we need to pick an avenue and become an expert.
“Become an expert,” you say? Yes, that’s correct. All this means is put in the time to know your craft well. Put in the research to understand what others in your field are doing and stay up to date. Don’t drift between five different careers never getting anywhere in each of them. Settle, be decisive and build so that you have a tool-set to present to the world.
How do I become an expert?
Reading a few books does not make you an expert, nor does reading an article on Huffington post. Becoming an expert requires strategy and action. Both combined. Oh, and time, of course. A lot of time and practice.
Here are some steps to help you be perceived as an expert in your field.
1. Own it: Everyone is good at something. The problem is often we minimise our talents and gifts and believe we are being humble. That’s not true at all. The key to career success is to discover your gifts and step into it. Think about it now, what is your expertise? You aren’t doing the world any favours by keeping this under wraps. Be bold, step out and make use of your potential.
2. Say it and believe it: A lot of times in life we have to say things and believe them before they happen. For example: “I am a nurse.” Or “I am successful.” When you do this you step into the potential hidden in the words and hidden in your heart. Create a website, a business card or a CV – say what you are and believe it.
3. Share it: Your talents and skills are a gift given to you to make the world better, and to contribute. You can contribute in many different ways and share your skills. Write a book, do a speech, create a course, do some mentoring or training programmes. Essentially pass what you know onwards so that others can learn and grow from this too.
“I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.”
– Og Mandino
4. Prove it: People don’t want to hear about what you can do, they want evidence of what you can do. Take on projects and use your skills so that you can get outside endorsements. Testimonials, reviews and endorsements are the fuel which makes your career status rise. Don’t be afraid to ask people what they think of your work and how you can do it better.
5. Sell it: The ultimate test of your expertise is if people are willing to pay for it. Nothing establishes your credibility more than products with purchases attached to them.
In summary, becoming an expert is a process, it’s not an overnight event. However if you work hard and keep learning you can, and will, be come an expert. Don’t give up, don’t let anyone talk you down from your aspirations and go for it!