Beyond Experience: How Mastery Changes the Way We Think
Introduction
Experience is something that evolves throughout a person’s lifespan. From entry-level professionals to seasoned experts, the accumulation of knowledge and refinement of skills play a vital role in shaping cognitive abilities and perceptual skills. Experience is not just about time spent in a profession, it’s about the transformation of skills, perception, and cognition. At Steering Point, we help people and teams to excel. As we all progress in our careers, we don’t just get better at what we do, we start seeing the world differently. Our expertise refines our perception, enhances our decision-making, and enables us to master our craft by sharpening the axe in ways we never imagined we could when we first started.
Recall your very first job. Everything you did felt new, every decision required careful thought, and you depended on instructions from people you looked up to. Over time, these tasks that once seemed difficult now become almost instinctive and second nature. This change involves more than simply practice, it is the way in which our mind adapts. As we gain experience, both physically and vicariously, we no longer see tasks as isolated actions. Rather, we identify trends, predict results and improve our problem-solving approaches.
The Mechanic
A skilled mechanic, for instance, doesn’t follow manual guide to fix a car. They hear and understand the engine, sense the faults and instantly understand what the problem is. This is the power of expertise, not just experience. With years of practice, we filter out distractions and focus on what truly matters. Our brains become programmed to notice details that others miss-long hand is hard-wired. This ability to interpret the world through an expert lens is one of the most valuable rewards of embodying expertise.
Every profession shapes its workers in unique ways. A firefighter learns to assess risks intuitively. A journalist knows when to ask the right questions. Both are examples of a skill they develop through time. These field-specific skills are not just learned in a playbook, they become ingrained in thoughts and behaviours. But expertise is not only about deepening knowledge, it is about broadening it too.
High Performers
A common trend in high performers is the ability to learn across disciplines to enhance their primary skills. This is a common trend in high-performing athletes. Patrick Mahomes, one of the greatest and most dynamic quarterbacks in NFL history, was a highly skilled multisport athlete, being a 2014 Major League Baseball draft pick. This evident adaptation from Baseball to American Football led the way to his success. The most successful people are those who continuously expand their skill sets, always looking for new ways to improve.
We witness the power of experience in every facet of life. The seasoned craftsman moves with effortless precision, instinctively making the right choices, while the expert strategist anticipates solutions before challenges even emerge.
Expertise is not just acquired; it is forged over time. As we progress in our careers, our perception sharpens, our decision-making becomes more intuitive, and our actions grow more precise. By embracing lifelong learning and staying adaptable, not only do we enhance our skills, but we also transform the way we see, think, and engage with the world around us.
More on Intuition
The psychology of performance with Jamil Quareshi – Podcast
Mastering your emotions for a better life with Lisa Feldman Barrett – Podcast
The psychology of success – Podcast
Steering Point partners with organisations, teams, executive leaders, and performers to foster positive behavioural change resulting in sustainable high performance. We specialise in designing experiential engagement programmes that develop cognitive, behavioural, emotional, and leadership capacities.
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