by Linda Ratcliff
The expert in anything was once a beginner.
– Helen Hayes
Beginner to Expert
The opening quote for this page, “Every expert was once beginner,” is attributed to Helen Hayes (1900-1993). She was an actress who is one of the few in her career to win an Emmy, a Grammy, and an Oscar and a Tony. If anyone became an expert in her craft, it was Helen Hayes.
Haruki Murakami is a Japanese author born in 1949 who writes novels and short stories. He said, “If everyone waited to become an expert before starting, no one would become an expert. To become an EXPERT, you must have EXPERIENCE. To get EXPERIENCE, you must EXPERIMENT! Stop waiting. Start stuff.”
Lailah Gifty Akita is from Ghana and the founder of Smart Youth Volunteers Foundation. She said, “Every beginner possesses a great potential to be an expert in his or her chosen field.” And, “All great men had simple beginnings.”
Are you a beginner, just now learning to play the dulcimer? Do you wonder how you’ll ever be able to keep up in a jam session? I remember the first day I picked up the hammers to play my hammered dulcimer. I’ve got to admit – all those strings … it was intimidating. But I’ve been hammering ever since.
It’s up to you … practice consistently and you’ll soon keep up with the best! “Stop waiting. Start stuff!”
