James Allen argues that expertise requires deep study and deliberate practice, not just copying what you were taught. True experts internalize instruction and develop their own unique version, while surface learners move on too quickly. The difference is continuous building on foundations versus stopping early.
I think what really separates an expert from someone who's surface level is an expert really goes deep. An expert studies way more than the average person. If you're like me, I didn't want to copy people, but we also learn from copying. When I was at an event one time, this guy went on the stage and he said, dance the dance you were taught until you can dance your own dance. But I think a lot of people want to just kind of like barely learn a little bit and then start getting out there. What makes the expert is someone that can learn from people, dance the dance that you were taught, that these people taught you until you can dance your own dance.
