The Expertise Paradox: Why being an expert makes content creation harder (and how to fix it)

Hey there, smart cookie. We need to talk about that brilliant brain of yours and why it might be sabotaging your content creation efforts. Grab your favourite beverage and let's dive into this together, because what I'm about to share might just change everything about how you approach your content.

The ‘curse of knowledge’ is real (And you've got it bad)

So here's the thing – you know your stuff. Like, really know it. You've spent years mastering your craft, understanding all the nuances, and developing that expert-level perspective that makes you exceptional at your work.

And that's precisely the problem.

Remember when you didn't know all this? When concepts that now seem utterly evident to you were once confusing or even mind-blowing? That version of you is who you're trying to reach with your content, but that version of you no longer exists in your brain.

This is what cognitive scientists call ‘the curse of knowledge’ – once you understand something deeply, it becomes nearly impossible to remember what it was like not to know it. Your brain literally cannot un-know what it knows.

The 3 content blocks every expert faces

If you're nodding along, thinking "that's exactly my problem," let's break down how this expertise paradox is showing up in your content creation:

1. The ‘This Is Too Basic’ trap
You resist sharing certain information because "everyone already knows this." (Spoiler: they don't.) This leads to content that skips crucial foundational concepts your audience desperately needs.

2. The Jargon Jungle
Terms, acronyms, and concepts that are part of everyday language are entirely foreign to your audience. But because these terms are so normalised in your world, you don't even realise you're using specialised language.

3. The Complexity Spiral
You've spent years understanding all the exceptions, edge cases, and nuances. When trying to explain a concept, you get caught in endless "but it depends" scenarios that overcomplicate what could be simple, actionable content.

The fix: 5 ways to bridge the expertise gap

Alright, enough about the problem – let's talk solutions. Here's how to bypass your expertise and create content that connects:

1. Find Your beginners
Talk to people who are new to your field. Not just clients – actual beginners. Ask them what confuses them. What questions do they have? What seems contradictory? These conversations are pure gold for content creation.

2. Create a ‘jargon jar’
Keep a running list of industry terms you use without thinking. For each piece of content, challenge yourself to either eliminate or explain these terms clearly the first time they appear.

3. Embrace the specific memory
Instead of trying to imagine a generic ‘beginner,’ recall a specific moment when you were confused about a concept you now understand perfectly. What would have helped you then? Could you create that content?

4. Use the ‘Explain It To’ framework
Before creating content, complete this sentence: "I'm explaining this to _____." Choose someone specific who is not in your field – maybe it's your parent, teenager, or friend in a completely different industry. This mental shift forces clarity.

5. Create Stepping Stone Content
Break complex topics into distinct levels of understanding. Start with level one content that anyone can grasp, then create separate, progressive pieces that build in complexity.
Let your audience choose their entry point.

The permission slip you need

Your most basic knowledge is likely the most valuable content you could create. The things that seem obvious, fundamental, or even boring to you are the exact things that will create lightbulb moments for your audience.

Give yourself full permission to embrace the basics, to explain the fundamentals, to start at the beginning. Because doing so is not stepping backward in your expertise - it's stepping forward in your ability to create meaningful connections through content.

Your expertise is still your superpower. You need to remember that the journey to that expertise is as valuable as the destination.

Now I'm curious. What ‘basic’ topic have you been avoiding that might be exactly what your audience needs?

Leave a comment below, and let's chat about it.