The Writing Life – Stuck

There’s a word I truly have come to dislike—more than moist or dirge or even spatchcock. It’s a word that threatens to trip me up as I write for a living, because the pressure to don this word like fine jewelry can push away the joy of writing in the first place.

It’s expert.

Now, I’m sure the word really means no harm. It’s certainly been around a lot longer than I have. But I’ve noticed something as this strange global community grows and continues to build new virtual gathering spots for connection-hungry people. Expert has become far too easy a card to carry.  It seems everyone can be an expert these days. I shudder when people use “expert” to describe me – whether they’re talking about marketing or leadership or #kitchentherapy. I might have ideas. I might even have something relatively smart to share. I may even sound like an expert. But there’s a difference between having expertise in a particular subject and claiming the title of “expert.”

More often than not, expert opinion is just that. Opinion.

And those expert opinions can play tricks on you and me as they collapse in on us. Think about it. Depending upon the expert I listen to, coffee is either going to kill me or make me a better runner in the mornings. We need to write every day so we can build our “tribe,” but only need to write enough to make our tribe seek us out.

And anything – EVERYTHING – will ultimately kill us. Or not.

Here’s the truth. I’m a long-road walker, an encourager, a “you are infinitely more” person. So today, I’m staring at myself in the mirror and reminding me of the things that really count in the long run because they’re the things that are part of who I am.  I’m reminding me of what I’m called to be in this world and to the people called to connect with me. I’m not an expert. Neither are you. We’re something far better.

We can have expertise at things, but let’s not get stuck on needing to be experts. Let’s take the time to be what this world needs.  Let’s be

thought-starters

question-askers

table-turners

light-shiners

trail-blazers

change-agents

hope-givers

history-makers.