The Difference Between Experts and Drop Outs
This chart I found at Creating Passionate Users illustrates the development curve of experts, amateurs, and drop outs. An important detail to note is that the line for all three groups starts at the exact same point. Everyone starts as an absolute beginner with no ability. The drop outs never get anywhere because they give up at the first sign of adversity. The amateurs achieve a degree of success but become complacent and stop improving. The experts are the only group to reach the top tier because they continuously improve.
Experts aren’t more productive because they’re more talented or because they work harder. The difference between the experts and everyone else is the optimization mentality: constantly striving for improvement. Although the mentality is mind numbingly simple, only a small proportion of people actually live by it. Why is this the case? I perceive the cause is a common misconception about the nature of success.
The Gradual Nature of Success
When we think about success and look at the achievements of successful people, all we can see is the superficial layer. We see the successful business, the best selling novel, or the artistic masterpiece. Naturally, we assume that success requires a similar achievement and we’re discouraged because, as beginners, we’re incapable of reaching such heights. This is when most people start thinking in terms of “can’t”. If we could see successful people as beginners and understand every tiny effort that gradually contributed to their success, we wouldn’t be discouraged by our own initial ignorance. Instead of seeing the path to success as a gargantuan wall, we’d see it as a very long but climbable staircase.
Unlike a system with rules and procedures, the optimization mentality is a philosophy that can be applied to anything. The toughest part is thinking independently and motivating yourself to take action. These 4 ways of thinking all contribute to the optimization mentality.
- Keep an open mind – It’s impossible to improve when you aren’t looking for opportunities. Don’t stunt your own growth by believing you’ve already reached the top of the ladder. There is always some small way to get better. Keep your eyes and ears open so you don’t miss it, and seriously consider even the strangest sounding ideas.
- Stimulate your mind – We get better as we get smarter. Be curious. Experiment with different options until you find the best. Watch what other people are doing, preferably smart people. Read books and articles on a wide variety of topics. Follow up on the ideas that pop into your head at 3 a.m.
- Seek advice from superiors – For every aspect of your life, chances are you know at least one person who is a little bit better in that area. Ask your friend in finance how to invest. Ask your engineer brother-in-law what computer to buy. Leveraging the knowledge of others is the fastest way to improve.
- Never be satisfied – Don’t settle for mediocrity. We should be grateful for our good fortune, but we should shouldn’t stop trying to get better. Once we become satisfied we start stagnating. The world is constantly moving. If you aren’t moving with it you’re falling behind.
I already know what the trolls are going to say, “Everything in this article is completely obvious.” No kidding. There is a big difference between understanding a concept on an intellectual level and taking it to heart. The optimization mentality is easy to grasp, but comprehending it’s importance and implementing it on a day to day basis isn’t. If it was there wouldn’t be so many people wondering what went wrong.
Embracing the optimization mentality is something everyone should strive for. Every productive action is driven by the goal of continuous improvement. That’s why this post is my contribution to the Ultimate Productivity Guide. Thanks for the tag, Ellesse. I’d love to hear what Alister and Trent have to say.
[...] The Philosophy Behind Continuous Productivity I just posted an article that think StevePavlina readers will enjoy. It deals with the importance of the "optimization mentality" and some of the misconceptions about success that people use to make excuses. Thanks for taking a moment to check it out. Continuously Increase Productivity by Embracing the Optimization Mentality I’d love to hear any feedback. __________________ Pick the Brain Getting Smarter Every Day [...]
Interesting article and prompts some questions. I think you may well be right about highly successful people. Their road to success isn’t often detailed until several years after their initial achievement. On the other hand, some successful people really do seem to have had everything handed to them on a plate, no effort required – I’m sure we can all think of several. Either way, both sides are very discouraging to the person who lacks confidence or motivation.
What about those people who never give up, never stop learning and expanding, yet still, they fail? How do you become successful if you live in a world that negates all you do, no matter how much effort you make to succeed? I speak from experience, having had to fight all the way for every little progression; always beat back by prejudice, maliciousness and wilful interference in my private affairs.
I ask because I’m, yet again, at the beginning of a new attempt to live my own way and free of outside hindrance. I’ve started learning about a whole new range of subjects utterly unfamiliar to me, such as blogging and computer programming. I’ve spent much time researching and absorbing knowledge about ecologically friendly ways of living. I’m also striving to regain the creativity that was crushed by two emotional breakdowns that have kept me disabled for the past ten years.
For me, these efforts are my last chance to break free of the drop out curve. I read such sites as yours, seek the wisdom of others’ experience and continue to look for means to realise the potential I’m sure I have deep down. In the end, I’ve lived along the drop out’s path by constraint rather than choice and any advice to change that would be very welcome. Could you perhaps compose an article on this issue?
I think #4 is key. Ever noticed that as soon as you accomplish a goal or get to a new level of improvement, you immediately want more? I’m convinced the enjoyment and satisfaction we get out of life has everything to do with the challenge/struggle – not the eventual result or goal. (I realize this is nothing profound, but not everyone understands it in a profound way, or everyone would be living this way. If that makes sense!) I can’t remember whose blog I read this on, but it was something along the lines of “successful people who stop growing/changing become dull and stagnant”. Quite boring, actually. West LA is full of this
Personally speaking, in the last two years I have radically changed every area of my life and taken some huge risks. It’s been the most worthwhile roller-coaster ride of living – lots of pain, lots of adventure. Looking back, it’s like the 7 years prior of “adulthood” were nothing but a dull fog. It only makes me thirsty for more. What I wonder, generally, about people: how much of this “risk taker” behavior is an internal character trait that, frankly, not everyone possesses? Is this a matter of the cream always rising to the top because that is its nature, or can anyone’s consciousness be raised? John, what I like about this post is the general message that we’re never done. (Why “retire”?) Anyway, everything I’m saying here has been said on many a blog, so at this point, like Hofstadter’s book title, I am just a strange loop… Time to get back to work. 
Decheron,
You raise a good point, what about the people who try hard, continue learning, but still fail? There isn’t easy answer to this. The way I see it, all success is relative. Where would these people be if they never tried? Probably a good deal worse off. They definitely wouldn’t have the same experience. In many ways, persevering is an accomplishment in itself.
We can worry about failure and blame the outside world, but ultimately we don’t have any control over it. All we can do is our best. I’ll definitely write again about this in the future.
Sara,
You make a good point about the reward of a good struggle, and even though it has been said many times, it’s one of those ideas that people seem to forget.
[...] Continuously Increase Productivity by Embracing the Optimization Mentality by John Wesley [...]
I quite like it – thinking models for continuous self-improvement. (Hey – you’ve given me a new entry in my “Cool Job Description” list I’ve been keeping: “Continuous Self-Improvement Guru”.)
I think it’s hard to make significant changes, and I’m reading about why this is the case – from a neurological standpoint. I think that it argues (for most people) for an incremental approach. I’m reading “One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way” by Robert Maurer, which I hope to apply to my personal productivity coaching.
This also reminds me of “The Self-Talk Solution” by Shad Helmstetter, and Jim Collins’ book “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t” which analyzed companies (rather than individuals) and identified patterns in which made it and which didn’t.
Hi John
This article got me thinking a lot about success and also what Decheron said about failing even although you keep plugging away.
I think a lot of people who succeed are the ones who have a one track mind, they keep plugging away at the same thing or in the same field, they don’t change track.
Great article John
Thanks Steven,
You make a good point about staying on track in one area. On the other hand, sometimes it may be better to cut your losses and move on.
John, thanks for accepting the tag! Excellent article.
We certainly need to get rid of our pessimistic behavior because of their effects to our lives. Our success depends on our way of thinking and beliefs. If we stay focused on the point where we stand and don’t plan on venturing somewhere else, we surely won’t get anywhere.
to John Wesley
Thank you for your comments – I’d forgotten the aspect that failure is a relative term. I don’t feel like I’ve failed, only that I haven’t achieved what is actually a simple goal.
Worry, blame or control over the world isn’t applicable, it’s just a fact that deliberate persecution has hindered my achievements. I’ve not had an ordinary life and the ordinary rules don’t apply, current progression is a matter of succeeding against the odds.
I’m glad you plan to add to the current article – information from trusted sources is invaluable.
[...] >> The difference between experts and dropouts (and the gradual nature of success) << “Everyone starts as an absolute beginner with no ability. The drop outs never get anywhere because they give up at the first sign of adversity. The amateurs achieve a degree of success but become complacent and stop improving. The experts are the only group to reach the top tier because they continuously improve.” [...]
[...] That’s my theory of the day, anyway, heavily cribbed from here and here and here and here. As for me, I’m about 9,500 hours behind in my efforts, and I’m not getting any younger. [...]
Every time I read about someone’s idea for maximizing my output by focusing my attention towards positive behaviors, I remember the high school track coach who took over our squad when we were the defending league champs with 12 athletes that had placed in the CIF Finals. Our previous coach had a laid back style that taught us much by not seeming to. The new coach came in with a whole notebook for each event, a whole workout strategy that would teach us how to “peak” for each meet, and a complete set of goals that would let us optimize our abilities. By mid season all 12 of us seniors had quit the team. The previous coach had no vocabulary that he needed us to learn. He just let us run, jump, and compete. The new coach though he had to teach us what we already knew. We, however, weren’t blank slates.
As much as I admire your obvious interest in this subject, I have to point out that you are couching your theory in an error. No matter what someone’s graph may show, we do not all start in the same place. And some of us have the ability to learn one way and others have the ability to learn another. Judging a person by how they learn is what our school systems do. To my way of thinking the only failure that counts is the one that lets you or me give in to this way of categorizing.
[...] Continuously Increase Productivity by Embracing the Optimization Mentality: By John Wesley. A discussion one of the behaviors that separates the successful, from the not so successful. That is, that the former are constantly improving themselves, whereas the latter remain complacent. [...]
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I agree with having no satisfaction. We will not be able to enjoy the fullness of success if we experience it only once. If we are in need of success, we should be willing to discover new things.
[...] Optimization I found a really great article about optimizing habits we have in our daily lives. This line of thinking seems like common sense, and the article just feels like it’s on the money. Whenever someone interviews Warren Buffet, he makes no secret of the fact that he started out in a good financial position, however his success came from never stopping. After he made his first billion, a reporter asked him what had changed in his life as compared to his starting point…his answer, “not much”. [...]
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John, thanks for this. I really found it inspiring.
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[...] I came across this graphic by way of Pick the Brain who found it at Creating Passionate Users. This image perfectly describes what I believe all network and system administrators should be striving for. [...]
[...] Continuously Increase Productivity by Embracing the Optimization Mentality by John Wesley [...]
Obvious? Well, obviously not! As you said, there’s a difference between intellectually grasping a concept and emotionally embracing it. In many ways, I’m still waiting for my intellect and my emotions to accept common ground.
[...] John Wesley presents Continuously Increase Productivity by Embracing the Optimization Mentality posted at Pick the Brain. Experts aren’t more productive because they’re more talented or because they work harder. The difference between the experts and everyone else is the optimization mentality: constantly striving for improvement. [...]
Can We Spare The Time To Become Experts?…
By "constantly striving for improvement". That's all there is to it. There's no such thing as an overnight success; success is always a product of gradual improvement. …
[...] Optimized Site Monetization – I spent a few hours tweaking the color and position of the GoogleAds running on this site, added a new unit to the sidebar, and switched out the unit at the bottom of each post to a couple of book recommendations from Amazon. It remains to be seen how well the changes will work, but experimentation is the key to optimization. [...]
[...] came across this graphic by way of Pick the Brain who found it at Creating Passionate Users. This image perfectly describes what I believe all [...]
[...] Continuously Increase Productivity by Embracing the Optimization Mentality by John Wesley [...]
[...] Always look for new ways to get better at what you do. It might not seem to make a big difference, but small improvements add up over time. Continuously optimizing your work process is the key to becoming an expert. Read More [...]
[...] Always look for new ways to get better at what you do. It might not seem to make a big difference, but small improvements add up over time. Continuously optimizing your work process is the key to becoming an expert. Read More [...]
Keep an open mind, huge!!!!
I’m one of these people who need to know as much as they can about everything that passes in front of them. Some days I feel like all I’m ever doing is learning a little about a lot – but, recently that has changed.
It’s important to know that there is a level of ‘critical mass’ that has to be achieved before you can reach the next level of learning, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or expert, within each group, there is a threshold that takes you to the next.
It’s necessary to learn how to navigate through each stage. While you might be an expert in one thing, you have to be okay with being a novice in another until you reach that critical mass of knowledge. Each stage has a different learning style to it.
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real an amazing site..now i m feeling more confident an looking forward to tackle life challenges.
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Talking about ongoing improvement, I really recommen
some brain training, you can chack out my favorite here
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