The Closet Expert

I know your kind! You’re the expert! You’re the back seat driver! You’re  the one who knows how it is supposed to be done. You’re  the one with all the answers, the one “they” should call when “they” get stumped. You know who you are. You’re  the one who always wonders why “they” mess up, and wonders why “they” can’t just do it right. You’re the one who says “If I were there I would have never let that  happen”. If “they” would have done it like this or that than “they” would have nailed it, knocked it out of the park! I know, no one ever calls you and asks for your expert advice. Wait a second, what are we talking about here? Who is “they? What are you so good at? What is this obsession? Why do you have so much insight?  Where did your mind go when you started reading this? What is this subject, what is this topic that you know so much about but have never laid public claim to your expert status? What is this skill, this thing that always seems to reel you in. We are talking about the post that you can’t click off of, the article that reaches out and grabs you and keeps you till the last sentence, and leaves you thirsty for more. Though more intense for some than others, there is a thing that you have been studying and mentally practicing or literally practicing for years and years now for no particular reason, at this point it could be developed into what may be “expert status”. Who knew?
In the book Talk Like Ted, Carmine Gallo explains that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. If you do something enough you are going to be improved on the subject, but let’s be clear here, just doing something for 10,000 hours will not make you an expert. You may have cooked food, built bridges, or repaired roller coasters for 10,000 hours. Sure you are  competent, you are talented  and more learned, but just time and and an education will not do it for expert status. It has to intrigue you, it’s the thing you can’t seem to learn enough about. Whether you like the topic or not, if you can’t leave it alone, it just may be your passion.

I want to challenge you to do three things.

1. Admit that you are an expert.
A. Stop hiding behind humility for fear of being tested or discovered. If everyone knows your the expert, you will be asked to use your expertise. Deal with it, go try it.
B. Stop hiding behind doubt just because you are not sure if you are the expert that you believe you may have become. You have to know the truth. After you say “I am an expert on X” the naysayers show up first. You have to push through all of them so reality (success or failure) can set in. Embrace reality, it is your friend. The truth of your status will be discovered. You will either fail or succeed and as a result you will be one step closer to knowing what works and what doesn’t.
C. Stop waiting for someone else to tell you, “you’re an expert,” they never will. Or should I say the right person never will. Chances are there is someone saying you’re an expert that you don’t believe, and someone your waiting on to say it, who never will. Reality is, you’re procrastinating.
You are the one person who can say it right now and it actually mean something. Say it. Right now! I am an expert ____________.  That was probably half hearted at best. Go back and say it like you mean it embrace it, become it, heck you have been becoming it long enough. If you said it, and meant it, congratulations that’s the hardest part.

2. Put your expertise to the test.
Try out your expertise. Get out there somehow and give it your best shot.
Find a way to put your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Get out there and face the music. Tell the world your an expert and go fall flat on your face. Knock our socks off. We are waiting for someone to surprise us. It might as well be you.
If you fail, keep up the practice, and the research. Your day is coming. If you succeed, you should move on to step three. Or do whatever you want with your new found truth. Conquer the world or lay it to rest. It’s your expertise, do with it whatever you like. Please don’t forget about the rest of us who would rather have an expert cooking our food, working on our bridges, and definitely working on our coasters. Don’t leave us to the I can do its, the okays, and the pretty goods of the world. We would love you if you stepped up.

3. Find a way to use your expertise
This is not rocket science. Get out there and do what you love. We can’t wait to experience it.