This week, I examine principle No. 4, specialized knowledge, as described in Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich. Specialized knowledge can come from many places, and not necessarily from a formal education. However, I don’t want anybody to take what I say as an endorsement for not getting a formal education. I have two advanced degrees, and I’m working toward a doctorate, so I firmly believe schooling is one of the keys to a successful life. That said, I’ve seen highly educated people who could run the board on Jeopardy or crush the competition in Trivial Pursuit, yet have trouble holding down a minimum-wage job. I think the biggest mistake educated people make, as highlighted by Hill, is believing that education itself is enough to make them successful — but it's not.It’s fantastic if you can name every bone in the human body, but if you’re not working in the field of medicine, does it matter? You may be able to take apart an automobile engine, fix anything else that's wrong, and reassemble it; but if you’re not making a living as a mechanic — how far does that knowledge really get you?Things you already know you’re likely to be an expert in, so start with what you know to begin your journey to success.

Using Your Specialized Knowledge

We all have specialized knowledge. Some of us learned in an academic environment while others learned through life experience. Regardless, neither way is better because knowledge for the sake of it has little value.Knowledge only leads to success when applied in practical ways. Take the brilliant, underemployed person I mentioned above. In reality, they’re not underemployed; they're simply refusing to take what knowledge they have acquired and apply it to anything that will lead to success.Odds are, this person is working for someone who has much less education than they do. The difference is that the person they work for made the decision to create a company based on the knowledge they had. They carefully applied the knowledge they learned in the early days of starting their business to ensure success.It's just like the philosopher Confucius said: “The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance.”

How to Apply Specialized Knowledge

Here are some valuable tips that can help you take your specialized knowledge and apply it in your life.

1. Match up Your Specialized Knowledge and Goals

Make a list of the areas where you possess specialized knowledge. Then, make a list of goals you have for your life. Most likely, you'll find places where your knowledge is a good fit for one of your goals, so start there; it's a great place to begin applying what you know.

2. Plan Things Out

Despite knowing you’d like to take action, most people don’t because it seems too overwhelming. However, you can overcome your fears by reading what you wrote about how your specialized knowledge can be applied to your goals and then follow it by writing what it will take to see your goals become a reality. If you do, you’ll see, as with everything, the path to success is an achievable step-by-step process when broken into parts.

3. Be Patient

Success comes to almost nobody overnight; and when it does happen, it's usually fleeting. It takes time to sync your specialized knowledge with a real-world application, but you can do it by looking for opportunities to learn and expanding your knowledge base along the way.

4. Never Stop Taking Action

Knowledge becomes trivia, dreams become fantasy and success becomes what happens to the other guy when you stop pursuing what you want in life. The only way you won’t be successful in life is if you make the decision not to be.So — if you feel overwhelmed and would like help determining ideas for the practical application of your specialized knowledge, please contact me. I’d be happy to coach you along your path to success.

To catch up on my series about how Napoleon Hill's 13 principles help you live the life you desire, start here: "Fuel Your Desire and Live Your Dream."