For instance, you may narrow your interests down to learning a new language or musical instrument.
For instance, if you want to become an expert in science, write down the different science subjects that interest you the most, like biology, chemistry, physics, or forensic science. Pick the specific scientific field that interests you the most out of this list! If you have an interest in crafts, choose what specific craft you’d like to practice, like knitting, jewelry-making, weaving, sewing, or something similar.
Think about yourself a year from now. Are you still going to want to be playing the flute, studying German, or practicing whatever topic you’ve decided to focus on? If not, you may want to take a step back.
A mentor may look different depending on the field you’re studying. For instance, if you want to become an expert at karate, you’d study with a black belt instructor. If you want to become an expert at electric guitar, you’d contact a professional musician.
For instance, if you’re trying to become an expert in the Chinese language, you can set a goal of memorizing 10 simple verb conjugations in the first month of studying. If you’re trying to become an expert in a certain subject, like calculus, you can follow a workbook or textbook to set small, workable goals for yourself. If you’d like to become an expert soccer player, you can set a goal of memorizing all the rules in 1-2 months.
If you can, ask a trusted mentor or expert to give you feedback instead of a random stranger. A mentor will have your best interests at heart, and can help you improve along the way.
For instance, if you’re trying to become an expert in piano, a long-term goal could be playing or memorizing a tricky piece of music. If you’re becoming an academic expert in a specific subject, like chemistry, a long-term goal could be finishing a college-level worksheet without needing to use references or ask for help. Long-term goals can help you pinpoint a career in the field that you’ve been studying. For instance, if a job requires you to be an expert accountant, you can focus on mastering different computer programs that accountants use.
If you don’t know anyone who’s interested in what you’ve been studying, ask a friend or family member if you can sit down and teach them.
You can use the notes in your journal to present what you’ve been studying at a conference or seminar. For example, you can write something like: “In my journey to become an expert French Revolution historian, I’ve written down and memorized different timelines. ” You can also write something like: “As I’ve practiced and studied to become an expert chess player, I’ve tried different techniques in the past 5 games I played. ”
Active practice looks different in specific fields. For instance, someone trying to become an expert biologist could practice that knowledge by teaching a class, while someone becoming an expert in Portuguese might try having a fluent conversation with a native speaker. If you’re trying to become an expert at crocheting, try making different crafts for your friends and family members to gain experience.
It may help to practice or study at the same time each day. For instance, you can slot 7:00 to 7:45 PM as your study time for philosophy, or take time from 8:00 to 8:45 AM to knit before you go to work.
Use a medium that caters to your learning style. For instance, if you’re an auditory learner, you may prefer listening to an informative podcast, while a visual learner may prefer to read a textbook. For instance, if you’re trying to become an expert hockey player, you can spend some time watching professional hockey games and the rest of your time practicing on the ice.
For instance, if you’re trying to become a chess expert, you may want to study more advanced techniques first so you can be actively prepared for a chess match. Afterwards, you can backtrack and learn more common techniques. For example, if you’re trying to become an expert in Japanese, you may want to study conversational verb forms instead of the formal verb forms that are in a lot of textbooks.
Some topics may be more difficult to learn and memorize than others, but don’t let that discourage you! If you put a lot of effort into learning and remembering something, it’ll be more solidified in your memory. For instance, if you want to become an expert at martial arts, it may help to practice different moves with an expert who can observe and correct your stance.
For instance, if you’re trying to become an expert at physics, pretend you’re teaching a class instead of just completing a worksheet.
