


Terry Cullen
Nov 14, 2022
United Kingdom
Categories:
Knowledge, Expertise, Wisdom, Being, Skill, Mastery
This article from the online publication Psyche (a digital publication by Aeon [Japan]) by Roger L Kneebone outlines three stages of becoming an expert and how to navigate the path to mastery.
Kneestone explains that the drive to be as good as we can be, an expert, at whatever we choose is innate to all of us. He describes it as internal, a part of our being, shifting who we are, not just what you can do as an expert. He describes characteristics of the drive to become an expert from transcending short-term results and persevering against the odds, similar to a slow-burning fuse.
The contemporary mantra that it takes 10,000 hours to be an expert is an oversimplification. Becoming an expert requires sustained and deliberate practice, not mindless repetition. It requires a commitment to continual improvement, a mindset that must accompany the actions.
Kneebone likens the path to mastery to the medieval guild system in Europe, Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, a progression from novice to expert. One can determine where they are in the progression to expert based on questions you may ask yourself and your experiences. For example, many people in the Apprentice stage experience boredom and monotony as they learn specific skills and employ them repeatedly in different circumstances. A Journeyman, by contrast, can read a situation and improvise, bringing into play many skills and strategies they have learned. Masters do not often identify themselves as experts in their fields, which may be an essential trait. The drive to continue deepening knowledge and skills never ends, propelling Masters to continue adding to their mastery. The Master has acquired wisdom and is willing and able to help those following a similar path.
Kneebone provides some practical tips to help people understand their journey to mastery and how to overcome times when they are stuck.
This article is an exciting read. It opens some thought-provoking possibilities for using this information to help make your community a better place to live.
One is the adage to “respect your elders.” Mastery takes years to achieve, a lifetime perhaps. Many experts, though not all, are older. Youth may not respect the wisdom of the ages, and older people may be dismissive of younger peoples’ ideas. Neither perspective is constructive. Consider holding forums where the older and younger people in your community can come together and commit to listening and learning from each other. For example, you may bring together elementary school children and older adults living in a retirement facility.
Identify experts in your hometown based on different fields, trades, skills, or knowledge bases. Consider building an apprenticeship program where up-and-coming youth compete for a place to apprentice alongside masterful people who have been there before. Pass the knowledge along, support the local economy and build stronger social ties. Create social events, such as banquets and awards programs to honor them.
Consider your path to mastery. How can you pass this drive to your children, a self-perpetuating quest to grow, learn and find purpose? A life approached from this perspective is fulfilling. We can raise a new generation better equipped to make the world a better place and more resilient to handle the complex challenges humanity faces.
Roger L Kneeboneis professor of surgical education and engagement science at Imperial College London. He is a clinician and educationalist whose multidisciplinary research builds on his personal experience as a surgeon and a general practitioner and his fascination with what it means to become expert. He collaborates with scientists, craftspeople, artists and performers, and leads the Imperial/Royal College of Music Centre for Performance Science. He is the author of Expert: Understanding the Path to Mastery (2020).
Photo by Eric TERRADE on Unsplash.
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Catalog #:
1122.100.03.111522