The only thing standing between you-as-amateur and you-as-expert is dedication. All that talk about prodigies? We could all be prodigies (or nearly so) if we just put in the time and focused. At least that's what the brain guys are saying. Best of all--it's almost never too late.
I don't know what's so great about experts, though. Expertise is overrated. I like the DIY ethos. Experts gave us prog rock. The amateurs gave us punk. As the saying goes: an amateur built the ark, and experts built the Titanic.
Or, maybe it's possible to become an expert amateur?