As written and submitted by Robin Sharma. So to assist you in claiming your fame–so that masses of people beat a path to your door–I’ve listed the 27 best ways that I know of to become an expert… Here you go: #1. Model the mindsets, habits and behaviors of the people performing at the level you want to play at. Surround yourself with as many world-class experts in your field as you can possibly network with. #2. Teach your craft. As you share what you’re learning about in your area of expertise, it deepens your understanding. And heightens your awareness. “Teacher learns the most” is a smart motto. #3. Fail as quickly as you can. Each time you stumble, study the data, recalibrate and iterate your next move. Do this daily and you’ll see steady gains in your performance standards. #4. Become monomaniacally focused on knowing all there is to know about one or two things. The secret to Mastery is concentration of attention. Period. #5. Read. It’s something too few people do on a daily basis. Reading collapses learning time–and allows the brilliance of the best to rub off on your thinking. #6. Get a mentor. I’ve had a number of key mentors in my life and watching them show up at peak was a game-changer. You just can’t reach your personal Everest without some help. #7. Practice insane amounts of hours. Anders Ericsson is the world’s pre-eminent researcher on exceptional performance. His research (popularized by Malcolm Gladwell) showed that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to make an expert. Put in the time and out will come the expert. #8. Go to your edges. Elite athletes, violinists, writers and chess players all do the same thing: every day they have specific times that they push their skills to the edge. And by relentlessly pushing their talents past what’s comfortable, their talents quickly expand. #9. Play to win versus playing to avoid failing. Experts have a tendency to pursue their idealized image of excellence while average performers behave in a way designed to avoid making mistakes. Big difference. #10. Remember that things you once found hard you now find easy. You are built to grow, to flourish and to adapt to new standards. #11. Set up a support team. At our annual self-mastery event The 48 Hour Transformation I encouraged the hundreds of participants to form “Navy Seal Teams”. The level of connection, support, sharing and helpfulness that took place in these groups was unforgettable. Find others like you–devoted to becoming the best in the world at their craft. And create an alliance. #12. Keep a journal. Writing in a journal each morning or every night is a superb way to build expertise. It allows for you to reflect deeply on what you’re doing right–and celebrate those wins–and what areas of performance you can most improve. #13. Remember that expertise is a process, not an event. #14. Reward your successes. Staying passionate with your field of expertise and your lofty goals is absolutely essential to getting your through the inevitable failures/plateaus and obstacles on the path to Mastery. By setting up a clear reward structure, you’ll fuel your energy and stay amped to win. #15. Read “Talent is Overrated” by Geoffrey Colvin. Superb book. #16. Stick with the new move for 66 days. According to research at The University College of London, it takes 66 days of practice to wire in a new habit. So as you work on a new element within your field of expertise, do it for 66 days until the “neural highway” in your brain has been installed. The new move will then become automatic. #17. Raise your standards. Our behavior reflects what we’ve settled for. All experts are obsessed with becoming the best there ever was. And so their performance matches that mindset. #18. Know that becoming an expert isn’t easy (otherwise everyone would be doing it). But it’ll be truly worth it. That I promise you. #19. Clear your mind. A messy mind causes messy results. Make all efforts to have fewer goals, priorities and responsibilities so your mind becomes incredibly centered on the dominant focus of your professional life: the one field you are committed to mastering. #20. Go first-class. If you’re really serious about world-class performance then have the guts to invest in world-class training tools, world-class coaching, world-class instruments, world-class conference, world-class nutrition and a totally world-class environment to support your rise to the top. #21. Watch the uber-inspiring documentary of expertise “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”. #22. Sleep less to achieve more. Yes, sleep is essential for peak results. I get it. But too many people sleep too much. Most of the ultraAcheivers I work with sleep very little. They’d rather use that time to practice, study, produce awesome work, grow their fortunes, build their families and contribute beautifully to the world. #23. Understand that mastery loves the hardworking. #24. Keep the self-promises you make to yourself. It’s a fantastic way to increase self-discipline. #25. Keep a written daily schedule. The things that get scheduled are the things that get done. Expertise comes from clear and structured effort. A written schedule of your practice times, study times, coaching times as well as a listing of your other essential life commitments will ensure you’re on track. #26. Show up when you don’t feel like it. Experts don’t show up to do the work only when they feel strong, energized and excited. They show up when they’re tired, discouraged and exhausted. That’s what it takes to be the best. #27. Do it for yourself as much as for the world. Becoming an expert is one of the finest methods I know of to move toward self-mastery. The process of expressing your greatest talents and potential develops your character. You teach yourself patience, perseverance and toughen your faith. Yes, you’ll help/inspire/create value for so many people via your inevitable expertise. But don’t just do it for that. Choose it for what this uncommon journey will make of you as a person.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 12:48:52 +0000
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