“The Economic Viability of Gaining Mastery in Your Craft” Kolapo Mustapha
There was a time when I was watching the Rio Olympics with a friend, where over 11,547 athletes gathered in Rio, in full view of the whole world, to compete and display mastery in different sporting activities such as water polo, archery, synchronized diving, etc.
There was this beautiful young Brazilian lady archer who was so competent. Her competence, ease, and confidence as she shot and scored 8s, 9s, and even a bull’s-eye 10 were so inspiring. Such grace, such determination, such preparation.
Later, my friend told me that watching that lady shoot arrows inspired her to stretch herself even more and become the best baker, pastry chef, and trainer in Nigeria.
I was surprised because the lady archer had a similar influence on me. I was in awe of her ability and challenged to develop my own abilities as a writer, political analyst, screenwriter, and filmmaker.
The display of mastery is very entertaining and solves the problem of boredom, but beyond that, God designed human beings to be in awe of the display of mastery and be willing to pay any price to behold mastery. Why? Because whenever a person displays mastery in a particular field—any field at all—he or she inspires others to become masters in their own fields.
It’s why footballer Paul Pogba earns $120 million in signing fees. It’s why Steve Harvey is a millionaire comedian. It’s why the Kardashians and Jenners are worth $300 million. They are all masters of their craft.
By engaging only in activities that you were naturally wired by God to do, you are increasing the probability of developing mastery in that field. By developing mastery in that field, you increase the probability of charging premium fees above your colleagues in that field. If you’re serious about financial freedom, you need to discover your passions, create a niche business around them, and develop unparalleled mastery of them.
Lastly, one of the banes of our country in dealing with the issue of unemployment is that many don’t understand how the law of definition and application is affecting us. Our definition of the word “school” is so wrong to a fault. Most students are studying what they don’t even like in tertiary institutions, and further placing them in industries that have nothing to do with their passion and gifts is a waste of their potential.
I strongly believe that if the education system is redesigned to train students in their area of gift and passion rather than the course of study, it will create ample alternatives for graduates to fit into industries that are in the area of their gift and course of study instead of looking for jobs only in their area of course of study.
The inspirational story of Bayo Omoboriowo, the personal photographer of President Muhammadu Buhari and chief official photographer to the State House, is both intriguing and reflective. Bayo studied Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and graduated in 2009 with a 4.26 CGPA. Today, Bayo has never used his degree, as he is totally sold out to photography, which has actually taken him places.
The abilities and talents inherent within an individual, rather than their academic grades, pave the way for significant opportunities, often granting them access to influential circles, rather than confining them to a single corporate entity. So, the need to gain mastery is essential and also a necessity.
Also Read:
- National impact of filmmaking
- The Revolutionary Power of Filmmaking
- Re-enacting the Revolutionary Power of Art in Africa
