(Written my William)
The world of LEGO has adult fans all over the world that specialize in one thing or another. If you are just getting into the hobby, it can be very intimidating just talking with an expert. This article will guide you in very simple steps on how you can become an expert.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
The first thing to do is to pick a specialty. This will focus your attention on some aspect of LEGO that you find the most appealing. Many people are intimidated by all the knowledge a particular person has. They may feel discouraged that they could never have knowledge as vast as that person.
The reality is you can. Nearly every fan of LEGO can fit into a particular niche. Consider the bios of the people that contribute on this site. Each person is clearly defined into categories that they specialize in. This is what you can focus on and learn about. This will usually result in finding out information that only a specialist will know.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, BECOME A RESOURCE
Some people will get stumped when it comes to specializing on a particular topic. In these circumstances, I recommend that you form some sort of resource. A good example of this is writing reviews of sets or categorizing a specific type of information.
For instance, the admin of this site has provided one of the most complete lexicons of LEGO-language you’ll find anywhere, broken into LEGO Dictionary: Basic Terms and LEGO Dictionary: Advanced Terms. This may not sound like a very inspirational method of becoming an expert, but it does lead to a very important fact. Only through close observation can you discover new information that only a specialist would know.
THE MAGIC WORD IS NETWORK
Specialists are not all hermits living in LEGO-built caves. We are fans of a very social toy. Therefore, talking with one another can lead to some startling discoveries. I myself recently learned about new programs that LEGO offers that I wouldn’t have known about if I hadn’t talked with others in my LUG (LEGO User Group).
In fact, I recently learned that LEGO was opening up their Ambassador Program soon. The LUG member who told me this is in contact with current LEGO Ambassadors. They even say the terms of the program may change from a yearly program to a six month interval. Since this is information not readily available, it’s good to see what others know to expand your own knowledge.
RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN CONTRIBUTION
You may still feel humble, but like it or not you become a specialist every time you create something with LEGO. Each creation and project makes you uniquely qualified to have personal insight on your own work.
Currently, your portfolio of masterpieces may not add up to much, but that should never be how you measure your work. Remember, LEGO is designed to amplify the quality of your own experience of creating. This experience is what should be valued above all other aspects.
SUMMARY
Your expertise comes from you. Either it is something you’re interested in, something you’ve studied, something you found out, or something you’ve created. All these paths lead to you becoming an expert in something.
It may be good to take a few moments to reflect on what your connection is with LEGO. Chances are you will discover your specialty and with it the ability to become even better. 😉
