Have you ever heard someone being referred to as a guru, and you want to know how to become one? If so, let’s start by saying you have all it takes to be one.
Originally, those who are referred to as gurus are those who have a mastery of spiritual things or teach about such.
However, in recent times, a guru can be found in any field and for differing areas of expertise.
You can be considered a guru when you are a master in a particular thing, such that you have great knowledge of it and are also able to teach others about it.
For many of us, while growing up, we used this word regularly to qualify students in our classes who we see as very intelligent or smart.
Sometimes, we hear students refer to a classmate who is very good at solving mathematics problems, for example as a guru.
While that doesn’t necessarily qualify the person as one, the idea and concept remain the same.
You need to have mastered a particular art or field so well that you can be rightly called a guru in that area.
We know the question that still keeps resonating in your mind: “How do I become a guru?”.
In a short while, we will discuss the many easy steps you can that will help you gain mastery in your chosen area of expertise, and become a respected guru.
Also, certain attributes qualify you as a guru, and these would also be reviewed.
In the end, you can take your first step towards becoming a guru today and right away.
What is a Guru?
The word ‘Guru’ actually stands for someone who is a great spiritual teacher or master, as used originally.
The people who are referred to as gurus are usually those who have a high level of spiritual engagement, good knowledge of that, and also impart this knowledge regularly and clearly.
However, in recent times, the word ‘guru’ is now being used with a wider application.
That means now people can be considered as gurus in different areas and fields, as it doesn’t just have a spiritual connotation as it once did.
With that in mind, when we refer to the word ‘Guru’ in this article, we are talking about someone who is a master or teacher in his chosen field.
This one has fully mastered a particular skill, art, or knowledge.
It doesn’t stop there though, but they also have the humility and willingness to share this knowledge with others.
It is noteworthy though that those who are gurus rarely refer to themselves as one, but are regarded as such by their followers who see the qualities in them.
This is partly because humility is one of the top qualities of a guru, whose main interest is helping others on their path with his knowledge and mastery.
Hence, when we refer to the word ‘guru’ in this article, it is not limited to spiritual teachers or masters, but those who are masters in their discipline and field.
The Most Important Qualities/Characteristics of a Guru
A lot of people might nurture the desire to be a guru, after all these are well respected and revered.
However, the truth is that not everyone can be considered a guru.
As a matter of fact, there are certain characteristics and qualities that a person needs to possess to qualify as a guru.
That doesn’t in any way mean that once you have these qualities, you are automatically a guru.
However, it means that every single guru that exists has all of these qualities in them, as they make them qualified to keep that title.
Find below some of these most important qualities:
A Guru Must Possess Enough Relevant Knowledge of His Field
If you want to know just how important knowledge is for a guru, you only need to consider the traditional meaning of gurus.
Gurus like we noted earlier used to be those who have spiritual knowledge and act as teachers and guides.
If you do not have a good spiritual background and foundation, it is not possible to call yourself a spiritual guru or even have others call you that.
The same principle applies to those who are gurus in every other field or industry.
Because you being a guru means that you are a master and seen as a leader in your industry, you can’t but be knowledgeable.
Therefore, if you are looking for gurus to network with, you want to make sure that one of the criteria you use to choose is relevant knowledge.
In a similar vein, if you want to be a guru, you must seek to have enough knowledge about what you do and represent.
Doing this would set you apart from just any other professional and rather make you a point of reverence and a guru with distinction.
A Guru Must Have the Willingness and Yearning to Help/Teach Others
Another important characteristic that sets a guru apart from others is that they are teachers.
In fact, without teaching, you cannot necessarily call yourself a guru, because these are known for imparting knowledge.
Therefore, knowledge acquisition isn’t just enough, it is also very important that you share what you know with others.
In that vein, a guru does not teach or help others with what he knows out of compulsion or a sense of responsibility.
Rather, teaching others and sharing knowledge is something that they do because they yearn for it.
Their satisfaction and happiness come from being able to take people to the next stage of their lives and make them get better.
Because of this, they know fully well that the only way to offer such help is by sharing what they know with others.
For a guru, teaching is not a duty, neither is it a task, but a hobby, because sharing knowledge is what they are all about.
A Guru Does Not Share Knowledge for Love of Dishonest Gain
Having seen that one of the beautiful qualities or characteristics of a guru is that they love to share knowledge, how they do this is also important.
Put simply, a guru does not teach or share knowledge to get monetary rewards or for financial benefits.
Therefore, if someone claims to be a guru and yet expects to get some form of monetary rewards from others or worse yet asks for it, then he is not in line.
A guru does not teach or exchange knowledge and information in return for money.
He does not see the imparting of knowledge as a form of trading or commercial business.
On the contrary, such an individual is a teacher because he chooses to and that is what makes him who he is; a guru.
Hence, if you see someone who claims to be a guru and is particular about making money off this position, then that’s a red flag.
Also, if you want to be a guru, but you are aiming for this because of selfish gains, then you are also not getting your priorities right.
A Guru Always Maintain a Positive Attitude and Disposition
One very noteworthy thing about being a guru is that you not only teach others by what you say but also by what you do.
For a lot of gurus in their field, their followers see them as role models and mentors and tend to allow their actions and decisions to shape their choices.
Because of that, a guru does not have a negative attitude.
The reason for this is that when that is the case, it can easily rub off on those who see them as sources of inspiration and direction.
On the contrary, a guru always maintains a positive attitude, in all they do and how they live their lives.
This doesn’t in any way mean that gurus are perfect or do not have problems and challenges.
However, they do not allow these to get the better of them or make them become uninspirational and detached from others.
Rather, they are always positive, which in turn helps their followers.
Gurus are Impartial in Their Treatment of Followers
Another very important quality of a guru is impartiality.
As a guru, you have certain expectations of yourself, which among other things is to help as many as possible who seek your guidance.
To achieve this, it would be wrong to show favoritism or some form of partiality towards some people at the expense of others.
It doesn’t matter if these are your family members, close friends or you share a prior history with them than others.
When it comes to giving your time and attention to teaching and helping others, you must be impartial.
A guru will treat all followers with respect and the same time and attention as they rightly deserve.
Gurus are Very Protective of Their Followers
A guru is also someone who is very protective, sometimes even over-protective of those who are their followers or disciples.
The relationship is like that of a father to a son or daughter.
Gurus take it upon themselves to not only teach but also lookout for the best interests of those who look up to them as leaders.
This would involve standing up for these when necessary, and also protecting them from intimidation and danger.
Hence, when looking to choose who the best and real gurus are, this factor should also rank among what you look out for.
How to be a Guru – Steps To Take
Are you ready to become a guru in your department, field, or industry?
If yes, then we are also very ready to show the way to achieve your dreams and aspirations of being a guru.
Before we take you through the steps of being one, it is necessary to let you know that this doesn’t happen overnight.
In fact, it takes series of steps and deliberate actions for one to be a guru.
Also, you must be consistent with the process and know that there must be a passage of time as well, to realize this.
At the onset, we mentioned that we are discussing not just a spiritual guru, but rather a guru or teacher in different areas.
Having that in mind, here are some of the things you can do to become a guru:
Choose your Area of Focus
The first thing you want to do on your journey to being a guru is to know your brand or your area of focus.
This would mean that you consciously decide on what you want to talk about and be a master or teacher.
To assist you in making this decision or choice, think about what interests you and have a good base knowledge about it.
Of course, a base knowledge is not enough to make you a guru in that area, but it is a good place to start.
Also, to get the recognition you want and/or deserve, it might help to pick an area where there aren’t too many gurus.
That way it would be easier for you to market your brand and for you to stand out and be more recognized.
Expand your Knowledge in Your Chosen Field
Once you’ve determined what your area of focus is, the next thing to do is to get knowledgeable.
Remember that one of the things that set a guru apart from others is the wide scope of knowledge they hold in their chosen field.
Hence, it would be helpful to gain as much knowledge as possible in that chosen field or industry.
This might warrant you taking up classes, signing up for courses, and other learning opportunities.
Also, you can connect with other gurus that you respect and know, aiming to learn from them firsthand.
The more you increase your knowledge about what you do and the area you plan to impact others, the closer you are to being a guru.
Get a Mentor/Master
There is a saying that a person who wants to be a master at anything must first serve and learn under a master.
And that is the case with a lot of gurus we have today in different industries and walks of life.
If you want to be a guru, this process is non-negotiable.
Having pinpointed what area you want to focus on, the next step is to seek out someone who has the experience and can help you get to the top.
You can approach such a person and let them know about your plans and politely request that they guide and support you.
When you do this, you make your learning process a lot faster and easier, having experienced shoulders to rely on.
Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable
A comfort zone is a very good place, but the unfortunate thing is that nothing grows there.
Before you can be a master at anything, which is what being a guru is all about, you need to embrace being uncomfortable.
You do not want to quickly seek the easiest way out when faced with challenges.
When you are working to overcome challenges and difficulties, that is when you are training your mind to be smarter and more innovative.
That doesn’t mean you deliberately create problems for yourself.
On the contrary, you expect that everything would not be smooth sailing, and hence when those challenges come, you face them squarely.
Learning to do this is a very important step towards getting better, attaining the best level you can, and becoming a guru.
Practice More Than you Learn
While knowledge acquisition is very important, and we cannot stress how important it is enough, there is more to being a guru than this. .
It is worthless to spend a great deal of your time and energy learning about new things or gaining new skills and not putting them into practice.
If anything, you should even be more about putting your knowledge and skills into action than adding to them.
The reason for this is that when you practice, it makes you get better either in your skills or talent.
At the end of the day, a lot of those who are your followers and accept you as the guru you are would seek not just knowledge but problem resolution.
The only way you can get better at providing such solutions is by putting your knowledge to work and getting more skillful by practice.
Be Open to Feedback
You would recall that we said it is important to have a role model or mentor on your journey to being a guru.
Well, these are there to provide you with much-needed feedback as you make progress.
Hence, it is important that you ask for such feedback and when you get it, you accept it.
Note that sometimes they might come in form of criticism.
However, instead of taking it personally, it would help to accept it openly and seek to learn from it and get better.
If you do this, you are helping yourself grown towards becoming a guru.
Stay Disciplined And Motivated
A lot of people have to be on the path of being a master or guru for a long time but never see it to completion.
For many of these, the underlying problem is a lack of motivation.
Well, you can always expect to get different forms of distractions along the way for any endeavor or journey you set out for in life.
However, you alone have the responsibility of making sure that these do not keep you from reaching your goals.
Therefore, identify what is causing you distractions, and take quick and decisive actions to remove such barriers along your way.
You need to keep yourself motivated at all times if you are going to maintain the needed focus and commitment it takes to be a guru.
To Wrap It Up – How to Be a Guru
What type of guru do you want to be? Do you know what area or field you want to gain mastery of and be a guru or expert? If yes, you should be sure of what to do by now to get there.
Unfortunately, you weren’t born a guru in any area, no one was. But with the right application of the steps and strategies so far discussed, you can get there. It is possible to be a guru and you have all it takes to be one.
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