Michel,

Wonderful post. And thank you for creating this forum, an incredible resource.

I guess the natural question that comes up...

What defines an expert?

It isn't necessarily experience, as you mentioned several reasons.

It can't necessarily be income - I have seen some real idiots make a bundle using highly unethical tactics, taking advantage of others (at least I wouldn't want to learn from such an "expert").

Is it then CR% results? Well, what if the copywriter has no control over the quality of targeted traffic? This could skew the results of even the best...

This is indeed a slippery subject. But I think you already partially answered it...

A great Indian Master by the name of Ramakrishna said something very similar regarding spiritual stature, "when the flower blossoms, the bees will come".

Another great Indian Master, Paramhansa Yogananda, referring to those that put themselves on spiritual pedestals claiming to be saints said, "those that say they are aren't, and those that say they aren't aren't".

These are spiritual references, but they apply to anything in life. I believe they apply to what you said as well. They apply to what it means to be an expert.

Apart from the results one claims to have achieved, I think something happens that intuitively lets others know that they are in the presence of an expert. At times, words aren't even necessary - sometimes they do more harm than good!

An expert does not have to prove him or herself, they live and breath the reality, and know that they can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

This can come about through hard work, but I think it is more of a gift, and the more we recognize that it is a gift, the more humble we become...

...and strangely enough, the more powerful our gift becomes as a result.

My own 2 cents.

Tim