stop trying to be an expert: do this instead
I made a shocking revelation after spending many years learning how to learn.
You don’t get results from what you learn because you learn like any ordinary person.
Most people go about learning the wrong way.
The mistake is wanting to do something but not executing on it.
There’s a hundred steps to start a business, a Youtube channel or a podcast and you’re focusing on steps 2 to 100 and that’s causing you to be overwhelmed.
You spend too much time on tutorials and don’t get any results.
In your mind you think you need to learn everything first before you apply what you learn.
There are people who are doing way better than you right now.
The shocking thing is that, these people do not know half of what you know, yet they’re doing better than you.
You’ve been stuck in the loop of trying to become an expert before even taking the first step.
If you consume too much and don’t use it to build, your mind gets fat.
Don’t wait until you have all the knowledge before beginning something. That only leads to procrastination and unnecessary delays. Instead, change your approach. Begin right away, and learn as you go.
Build. Learn:
Think about it. The best way to learn how to swim isn’t by reading every book on swimming technique—you jump into the pool and paddle around until you figure it out.
The same goes for anything else you want to master. Whether it’s starting a business, learning a new skill, or pursuing a passion project, the most effective approach is to dive right in and learn as you go.
Stop complaining about your lack of results. Complain about your lack of action.
Stop debating, planning, and putting things on hold.
Stop putting yourself down. You don’t have to be an expert or have it all figured out.
It’s you vs you.
You don’t try to make your first attempt perfect. Try to make your imperfect first attempt better.
Begin anything you want to do by first starting and then look for resources and information that will guide you through what you want to do.
Want to learn design? Install and launch Photoshop. Want to build your portfolio? Install and launch VS Code. Want to start a business? Sell your product to your college friends.
Remove the fear of failing by first starting. Iterate your processes through feedback.
Get resources that can teach you how to improve your product or service.
Watch YouTube videos. Take a course. Read a book.
You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist.
First start and Remove the fear barrier.
Just record your processes. Go back and refine them.
It is no good if you are an expert in knowledge and a novice in practice.
The quest to be an expert before you start anything can be a paralyzing trap.
Supplement with Resources:
When you start building something, there are only a few things you need to know: the fundamentals.
Delve into advanced tactics only when you’ve gained a solid understanding of the basics.
The fundamentals will take you 80% of the way there.
Advanced tactics will take you the next 20% of the way.
Reserve mental energy for obsession, mastery, and honing a few specific skills and interests.
When you have a project to build, do one or both of the following:
Purchase a beginner-level course on the topic.
Watch overview videos on YouTube that teach the fundamentals
Study them until you have clarity on what to do next. Then, do it, and when you encounter a problem:
Refer back to sections of the course or video.
Research how to solve that problem directly.
领英推荐
Watch tutorials where people build projects similar to yours and see how they overcome those problems.
I created my first design project in Canva before signing up for a design course. I built my first portfolio website alongside FreeCodeCamp web development course.
Ideas don’t come fully formed. When you start without knowing it all. Your mind begins to look for information to piece the puzzle together.
Waiting for the stars to align, for every detail to be just right, for that elusive moment of “readiness” that never truly comes is a sure sign to not build anything meaningful in your life.
Let me give you something to ponder over:
You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist. Launch the project when it’s not perfect. Start the business when you feel you don’t know enough.
It’s a liberating truth—improvement, refinement, and growth can only happen after you take the first, imperfect step.
The first version of anything is rarely its best version.
Without that initial launch, that first step into the unknown, there would be nothing to refine, nothing to improve, nothing to grow from.
Figma started as a drone company. Twitter started as a podcast app. Instagram was a location-based social network.
I went from 3 failures before I could launch my first business.
Starting is what you need to get to your destination.
This is what I teach you in the Product Accelerator program.
The upcoming cohort 3.0 is your roadmap.
In 10 weeks, I’ll teach you everything I’ve learned about online business, marketing, content creation, digital resume, product building, and offer creation.
I know you are thinking But what if I make mistakes.
Sure, you’ll make mistakes. You’ll encounter obstacles.
There is no solid learning without mistakes.
Your mind builds a map through repetition, failures and getting things right.
The knowledge you gain through experience is far more valuable than anything you could glean from a textbook or a webinar.
There is pattern recognition for novelty and dopamine, clarity from milestones, challenge from deadlines, and feedback from reality.
Determine what you want to learn.
Create a real-world project that you will publish for others to see.
If you don’t know what project to create, see what others have done.
A personal project is an experience anchor.
So, enough with the excuses. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect plan, or the perfect set of skills.
There will never be a better time to start than right now.
Those dumber than you are making billions.
Not because they’re more skilled than you.
Not because they’re more connected than you are or more popular than you.
Not because they’re more talented or has better life opportunities.
They’re doing better than you simply because they took action, even when they didn’t have a full understanding of they were doing.
They took a leap of faith and backed it up with a rugged determination and crazy work ethic.
They did not sit and analyze everyday to end up doing nothing.
They do not sit and browse all day in the name of seeking for more knowledge.
They took action based on the little they’ve learnt and the little understanding they have.
They’re doing better than you right now because they refused to procrastinate. They refused to submit to their fears.
They’re doing better than you because they’re more willing to test, fail and go again, without giving up hope or losing momentum.
Oh, and before I forget…
They’re doing way better than you at the moment because…
You know what? Nevermind.
Embrace uncertainty, and trust that you’ll figure it out as you go.
You don’t have to be an expert to get started. But you do have to start if you ever want to become one.
Hope this helps. Talk soon.
Accountant at Akagera transit
8 个月courage Patrick, you are doing great
Focus on taking that first step and learning along the way! Patrick Kyei
Business Analyst | IIBA Member| Championing and Empowering Women of Value through The "Value-Vested Woman" initiative | Driving Data-Driven Solutions for Companies| Leading Digital Transformation in Business.
8 个月This is a great piece Patrick, thank youu