I've been wearing glasses for so long that I can't even remember. However, I have recently discovered that I don't know the correct way to put them on and take them off. An old master explained to me that I should pick them up with three fingers instead of two and take them off forward, not sideways. My beloved titanium glasses have lasted through rough handling for many years, but one day even their super-strong temples gave out.
Expertise doesn't just come from repetition. A pattern of behavior must be observed for a long time by an inquisitive, not passive, mind. And what stimulates curiosity the most? There is no better motivator, than mistakes, oversights, and miscalculations — your own or others'.
It might seem simple -- just pass through your consciousness a multitude of mistakes and you'll become an expert in your chosen field. But there's a catch -- dedicating years to this exploration inevitably sacrifices an alternative path. All that time, instead of observing patterns, you could have been doing something else. For example, becoming a champion in all weight categories and entering the Hall of Fame. Or creating a new business, building it and selling it successfully.
One path does not automatically transform into another. Not every Olympic champion becomes an outstanding coach. However, it's also true that the best BJJ and MMA trainers in the world, like John Danaher and Firas Zahabi, don't have walls adorned with gold medals and belts. Sooner or later a person has to choose their own path.
The earlier a person recognizes their tendency, the easier their path will be. But sometimes these paths are inscrutable, and expertise is formed through observation-in-action, as it was in my case. I've worked in various roles in business: as a hired employee, department manager, CEO, co-founder, investor, and board member. Looking back, I fondly recall the whispers from my intuition that told me, "Aren't you tired of being in the middle of things? You're an Analyst. Your calling is to notice the hidden patterns that determine whether or not a founders business will grow rapidly or not."
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
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