1) Learn some shit.
You want to be an “expert”? Great. Go find something that makes your spine tingle. Learn everything you can about it, and then some. Once you actually take the time and effort to learn, you will then be an expert.

2) Do Your Work.
Shut up and work. Do the work you need to do. Don’t whine about it. Don’t contrive ways to outsource everything. Don’t complain that it should be “easier than this.” Put your nose down and do the work.

3) Learn some more shit.
There’s always more to learn. Keep your skills sharp. Once you get done learning all there is to learn about your area of interest go back and learn some more. A lot has happened since you last learned. Keep learning.

4) Apply It.
What good is learning stuff if you don’t apply it?

5) Always Be Improving.
Resting on your laurels is bad. Simply learning is essential but not enough. If you’re telling yourself, “I got this,” it’s time to go back to school.

6) Stop Searching for Shortcuts.
There are none, so stop looking for them. The only shortcuts that exist are the ones that shorten the distance between your dollars and their wallet. If someone is promising you a shortcut, that’s just shorthand for “I want your money.”

7) Be Yourself.
Stop trying to be like someone else. Just stop it. Stop hiding essential aspects of who you are in order to maintain your “image”. Being a shell of someone else is lame. It will suck up all of your energy and make you feel completely lifeless. Hiding parts of yourself will make you achy and it’ll come out regardless when you least expect it. If you’ve never felt the surge of energy that comes from doing something you love, odds are good you’re trying to be like someone else. Stop it.