How to Become an Expert at Anything in 2021

Innovation, competition, and globalization put constant pressure on you and on the organizations you serve. Add the global pandemic to that list and it is clear that you must constantly learn and grow to stay relevant and competitive. 2021 will likely include more challenges for you and the organizations you serve, and those challenges will come with opportunities for growth, contribution, and success.

Become an Expert

To remain competitive in this environment, you must continually develop yourself, and one powerful way to set yourself apart is to become an expert in your field. But, how can you become an expert in your chosen area? In this article, I will describe how you can very quickly become an expert at anything.

Why Should You Listen to Me?

My journey to becoming an expert — as a scholar-practitioner in learning and instructional design, building expertise is something I have both studied and applied for years. Through graduate degrees, professional experience, research, teaching, and constant learning I have become expert in human learning and performance. I have found that there are four fundamental strategies for becoming an expert, and all you need to do is continually apply these strategies to become an expert in your chosen field.

What Does It Mean to Be an Expert?

An expert:

• Has authoritative, extensive knowledge in a given area.
• Possesses effective skills in that area and can apply the skills with excellence.
• Has depth of experience in their area of expertise, including continuous growth and improvement.
• Is effective at applying experience, research, theory to address real-world needs and problems.

4 Strategies for Becoming an Expert

There are four fundamental strategies for becoming an expert in your chosen area. I describe these in detail below and provide specific steps you can take to become an expert in your field.

1 Clarify Your Goals

To become an expert, you must be clear about the area of expertise that you want to develop. To build clarity, ask yourself the following questions:

What do you plan to be expert at?

What expertise would help your organization adapt and grow? What would help you be more successful in your chosen field of study? Take some time and be clear about what expertise will help you maximize your positive impact.

What knowledge, skills, and experience do you need?

Research and write down the knowledge, skills, and experience you need to be an expert. Here are some powerful ways to quickly find out what you need:

• Look at job postings — Identify how companies define the expertise that they are willing to pay you for. Read several job postings and note what knowledge, skills, technology expertise, degrees, or certifications they require.
• Talk with experts — Reach out to people on LinkedIn who are experts in the area. Ask them if you can meet with them online meeting for a 10-minute informational interview — you will be surprised by how many people are glad to share their expertise, and you will gain invaluable knowledge from these experts. Ask these experts questions like the questions below. Note that for these examples. I used the term instructional designer for these example questions. You can alter them to fit your chosen area. Ask questions like these:
• What does an expert (instructional designer) do?
• How did you become an expert in (instructional design)?
• What do the best (instructional designers) do that sets them apart from others?
• How can I become an expert at (instructional design)?
• Research professional organizations — Take a look at the professional organizations, groups, or clubs in your area of interest. These groups often publish the competencies of experts in their field. Join relevant online communities and groups to gain incredible insights from their members.
• Use your old pal Google — Just search and investigate. There are plenty of resources out there that can give you some great clarity.

What experience/experiences do you need to have to build expertise?

Along with knowledge and skills, you also need to research the education or experience milestones that will give you the expertise you seek. Often you must earn certifications or degrees to gain professional expertise that you are working toward. Doctors must earn degrees, do a residency, and pass exams. Electricians must undergo training and apprenticeship before establishing their expertise. And your chosen field most likely has degrees or certificates that aid in building expertise.

I am a faculty member in the International Institute for Innovative Instruction at Franklin University, and many of our students use a Franklin degree to build expertise very quickly and catapult themselves into new careers and new levels of contribution within their organizations. There is nothing quite like a quality college degree for building expertise quickly.

2 Create your plan.

Be clear about how you plan to build your expertise. Becoming an expert takes effort, so you need to have a plan so that you don’t waste your time. Your plan should ultimately describe how and when you will gain the skills, knowledge, and experience you must have to become an expert in your chosen area. Review what you learned from your research and start to piece together a timeline. Here are a few simple strategies:

• Be clear about what the end result is. Whether the end result is earning a job, writing a book, securing a speaking opportunity, or solving a difficult problem, be totally clear about what you want to be able to do.
• Break the learning tasks down. Remember the old saying: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Identify books to read, videos to watch, and technologies to master. Map out a timeline for your career trajectory. Subscribe to podcasts, YouTube channels, and other resources so the knowledge and expertise can flow to you.
• Set aside time to learn. Create 15-minute breaks in your work schedule for some quick learning. Listen to books and podcasts while you commute or exercise. Schedule time in the early morning or late evening to work on learning projects.

3 Start learning!

Start learning is the most important step and the most powerful habit that experts have developed. If you constantly and continuously learn, you will inevitably become an expert in your chosen field.

Here are some ways you can start learning right now:

1. Break your learning into bites. Do an hour of online research. Enroll in one graduate course at the local university. Read one chapter (or 1 page!) of the book you have been meaning to get to. Listen to a podcast on a quick walk around the block. Regular bites of learning over time add up!
2. Earn the degree. Very few things can give you expertise like a college or university degree. Work toward and gain more formal knowledge. I teach in instructional design graduate programs at Franklin University, and I love watching my students graduate and become amazing experts in the field.
3. YouTube. Just log in, search your topic, and start watching and listening. I have a friend in an MBA program who wanted to learn about microeconomics and didn’t understand his professor’s explanations. He eventually found a series of excellent YouTube videos that taught the materials very clearly and helped him build his expertise.
4. Read. LinkedIn articles. Blogs. Libraries. Academic articles. Audio books. Go to the library. Constantly read and build your knowledge in your area.
5. Listen. Find podcasts or audio books that teach or discuss your topic. I listen to audio books continuously and have read hundreds of books this way.
6. Online groups and communities. There are many communities online that will supplement your learning. Join LinkedIn groups and discussion groups to ask questions and learn what people are talking about in the field.
7. Ask people. If you have a burning question about your chosen field, ask other experts! Many people are willing and happy to share their knowledge.
8. Take online courses. LinkedIn has an amazing set of online courses, and many other groups provide excellent online training.
9. Google. Just start searching and learning.
10. Follow experts on social media. They often teach and post about what they are doing.
11. Find an expert to emulate. Whatever your goal, someone else has probably already done something similar. Ask these experts for advice, watch how they work and emulate their approach. Challenge them with questions. Collaborate with them. Spend time to absorb their expertise and make it your own.
12. Build your experience. Take every opportunity you can to apply your knowledge. Solve problems and perform tasks in your area of expertise. Volunteer and do work in your area of interest. Use software that experts in your area use and create something with it. Get feedback on your work and continually refine and improve it.

Ultimately, you must deliberately and continually develop the habit of learning and growth toward your goal. Eat the elephant one bite at a time. Listen to that book, even if it is just for a few minutes. Practice that skill, even for a 10-minute break. These small actions will add up, and the frequent, brief learning and practice is better for you than one marathon learning session.

4 Reflect and Adjust

Be sure to do the following to ensure you are on the right path:

• Reflect on how you are doing — ask yourself whether you are moving toward your goal.
• Ask for feedback — ask a trusted colleague or expert for feedback on how you might improve.
• Review and adjust your plan — make sure you are on track for your goal and adjust as needed.
• Shift your plan — if there is a faster path or a better goal for having your desired impact, you may consider shifting your plan to that goal. Be careful, though — shifting your goal and plans too frequently leads to mediocrity.

Final Thoughts on Becoming an Expert

To paraphrase the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, if you advance confidently and consistently in the direction of your dreams and goals, you will achieve uncommon success. In 2021, set a positive direction for yourself — use the power of learning to build your expertise and increase your positive contribution.

How Do You Build Your Expertise?

How do you develop your own expertise? Comment below and share your own strategies for learning and skill-building.