Becoming an Expert

Class,
Great stuff today--there are so many possibilities with these giant models!

I'm having some serious thoughts on this "expert" idea. Check out this website:
http://zenhabits.net/expert/

I really like number 5.

The five steps on this website sum up the design studio. Here are my thoughts on the five steps.

1. Expert is a relative term, but it is also a continuum. Look up the word continuum. It's a fascinating concept. You won't know when you've reached expert status, there's no finish line, trophy, or diploma. You just suddenly find yourself capable of things and when you look around you find yourself more capable than the people around you. Everyone you encounter in your life can teach something.

2. Books are important and thanks to amazon and google they are ubiquitous and cheap. Read a lot. By the way, there are literally thousands of free podcasts that will teach you almost everything you ever wanted to know. When you're driving or doing studio work you can be engaging other parts of your brain...it's amazing!

3. This is perhaps the most difficult step in your journey toward expertise because we have so many devices (apple just released a new one yesterday) that distract us from being in the moment. When you're doing your work, be it studio, structures or english, BE in your work. Put away distractions and allow your brain to absorb the material and processes in front of you.

4. Getting outside help is awesome. There will always be someone that knows more than you but as soon as you ask them to help you then you are on your way to knowing more than them. People generally enjoy showing you how much they know, just ask.

5. We learn much much more from mistakes than successes so get out there and make lots of them. Some of you have had your plywood breaking as you assemble these pieces. This is not a bad thing. This is awesome! Sure, you might have to redesign, recut, and even buy another sheet of plywood. Who cares. you're leaning more from those breaks than anything else. People love to talk about Edison's 5000 failed lightbulb attempts, but I think that focus belies the point. What kind of positive attitude did that guy have to make 5000 failures and keep going? That's what's inspiring. Get out there and break some stuff...oh and learn something.
The power of the scientific method lies not in success but in failure--remember that.

Now--go forth and make a mess!

J