Better than an Expert: 7 Things I’d Rather Be

Every now and then, I fall into the trap of thinking that you and the other readers of this blog want me to be something I’m not: an expert.

From the very beginning, I made it clear I’m not one. It’s right there in my About Page.

Hi. My name is Ken Robert and you need to know right now that I am not an expert.

And yet I forget because I’m not always willing to admit what this blog is all about.

Strange Business

Like it or not, I’m in the inspiration business, and sometimes that embarrasses me.

It sounds so corny when I say it out loud, and yet I know it’s true.

For better or worse, I want to inspire people to start things, try things, make things and, if they so desire, to continue and finish things.

My Fear of Seeming Phony

I know how suspicious some folks are of people like me. To them, I and others like me must look like a bunch of Tony Robbins wannabe’s, an army of motivational speakers with booming voices and gleaming, white teeth.

Personally, I think Tony’s great. I believe he’s passionate and a true believer in the things he teaches.

But I’m not him. I’m Ken, and everyday I’m trying to learn how to be the best Ken I can be.

That’s one of the things this blog is about. It’s an attempt to inspire people to do their best and be their best in a way that doesn’t require them to drive themselves crazy in the process.

How Should I Be What I Want to Do?

So it’s easy to understand why I might be tempted to become an expert, but I know I never will because there are so many things I’d rather be.

That’s what I’ve been thinking about for the past week. If I am, as I say, for better or worse, in the inspiration business, then how do I intend to conduct such a business?

Here’s what I’ve decided so far. These are the:

7 Things I’d Rather Be Than an Expert

1) I’d rather be an example.

Experts tell you how to do things. Examples show you how.

For a while, I felt torn between the things I thought I was doing purely for myself and the things I thought I was doing primarily for others. I never quite knew which was which.

When I drew pictures or wrote poems, I wondered who I was drawing and writing for.

But, when I remember what my work is, it’s a moot question. My drawings and poems are for me because I love making them, and they’re for others because, by making them, I inspire others to make their own things.

2) I’d rather be a friend.

Experts hand you things. Friends offer a hand.

I know I can’t be everyone’s BFF, but I can be a friend to anyone who needs one when the opportunity arises. A single exchange on Twitter or via email might be all a person needs and our paths may never cross again. So be it.

Understanding this helps alleviate the guilt that sometimes comes with realizing I can’t maintain deep, ongoing relationships with everyone who crosses my path. The truth is I don’t have to because people don’t require it.

Most people I meet will just need a friend for a moment, someone who can lend a helping hand or offer an encouraging word. More often than you might think, it’s possible to provide that, even to a stranger.

3) I’d rather be an advocate.

Experts promote themselves. Advocates promote others too.

One of the things I really love about blogging is the opportunity I’ve been given to showcase the genius of others. It’s the reason I started writing my 5 Cool Things posts.

I can’t do everything. I don’t know everything. No one can or does, but the world is filled with amazing people who can do a few things quite brilliantly or who know an incredible amount of information about some very interesting topics.

And one of the things I’ve discovered that I can do is point you to them and show you what good company you keep as a resident of planet Earth.

4) I’d rather be an explorer.

Experts have all the answers. Explorers have all the questions.

I’m just as curious as you are. I want to know what works. I want to know if there’s a better way to do things.

To find that out, I have to keep searching. I have to keep asking questions. I have to keep exploring.

When I find something, I like to pass it along, but it doesn’t end there. You have to try it out for yourself. You have to ask your own questions, conduct your own experiments, and apply your own experiences.

Digging for answers is far more interesting than dispensing them. I’d like to dig beside you.

5) I’d rather be a collaborator.

Experts give instructions. Collaborators give suggestions and welcome yours.

Not everything that works for me will work for you. I sometimes think I should I have a category called For What It’s Worth. (For what it’s worth, I found this helpful. For what it’s worth, this got me through a rough patch.)

Almost all the things I share here are just opinions, suggestions, and ideas. You have some of your own. I’d like this to become a place where we can share them and see what we come up with.

6) I’d rather be an artist.

Experts distribute. Artists create.

This is, at least in part as the name would suggest, a blog about creativity. I’ve said it so many times, you’re probably sick of hearing it. Creative people, artists, make things.

I want to make things: beautiful things, meaningful things, and, yes, even silly things.

I want to spend more time doing so in the days ahead, and I’d like to share the experience with you. I hope you’ll do the same.

7) I’d rather be a human being.

Experts are often found on mountain tops. Human beings are everywhere you are.

My best work, I believe, is always my most honest. I try to show you as much as I can, because I think we have a lot in common.

If I can share my excitement and fear, my joy and sorrow, my triumphs and failures with you, then you’ll know you’re not alone, that you’re not the only one traveling the hills and valleys and encountering the obstacles of life’s terrain.

I’d Rather Do My Work

So that’s how I see my work and how I plan to do it. I aim to inspire. It’s not corny; it’s my business.

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Tagged as: Be Authentic