What is an expert anyway? I once was told an "expert" is a drip under pressure. I don't know about that, but I do know there are stages of learning we all will pass through on the way to becoming good at anything. Here are the phases:
1. Phase 1 - we begin our journey as "consciously incompetent. That means we don't know what we don't know. When a person is in this stage they are not as much fun to be around because they don't know but they often think they do know. They are unconsciously incompetent.
2. Phase 2 - we become "consciously incompetent". That means we now know we don't know. This is a lot better a place to be. At least now we can begin looking for answers to our ignorance.
3. Phase 3 - we become "consciously competent". We have learned a few things, enough to function with thought. We can perform the basic task something like when learning to drive a stick shift automobile. It's not automatic in your mind, but you can think it through, "first gear is hear, give it gas, slowly let the clutch slip until you are going, then push the clutch as you let off the gas, put it in second..." You can consciously perform the task.
4. Phase 4 - we become experts. An expert performs the task without thinking too much about it. He or she just knows what to do - it becomes second nature. They are able then to even teach others. This level of expertise require much training, reading, study, mentoring, and hands on experience. It doesn't come cheap. The experts say, "it takes 1000 hours of training in a particular field to become an expert.
There are two more levels of learning. They are 5, "Master" (requires about 5000 hours of training, and 6, "Virtuoso", which requires about 10,000 hours of training. Not many arrive at Master level and precious few at Virtuoso.
The man leading my coaching group, Nelson Searcy, is a master at church systems.
Here's my question. What can you become an expert at doing? Pick a field and go for it. There is little reward for being "consciously competent" at anything.
Proverbs 22:29 "do you see a man skilled at his work? He will stand before king and not obscure people."
