4 ms·
Ask HN: What does it take to become an expert in a field?
You may be an expert programmer or computer scientist or mathematician or biologist or whichever field you belong to.
THE advice we get to become experts is to PRACTISE a lottt.
But, what does it really mean to practise? Is there any correct process of practice? Daily quota? Rest? Following materials of previous experts or tinkering until it works? Is there any field specific advice?
How did YOU do it?
- PaulHoule 4y agoOne model is getting a PhD. Even if you don't go to graduate school it will take a similar amount of effort.
- verdverm 4y agoGeneralizing, you need to study prior works, study current research directions, practice / output content (depending on the field). A good measure is if you can teach a subject. It probably takes more than one attempt before you become an expert My best advice is to become obsessed with a subject and immerse yourself
- jleyank 4y agoPractice a lot with those whose skills you seek to learn. This can be academic training, apprenticeship, solo work or whatever. But it has to be challenging and ideally guided. As the internet meme goes, “always be the worst musician in your band”. Repeating something 100x builds rote or muscle memory. Doing new things 100x expands one’s horizons. Both are useful. The Beatles learned how to gig in Hamburg. They learned how to record at Abbey Road. And even at their peak they worked with others.