Every Master Was Once a Disaster

It’s rather unfortunate that we find ourselves in a world with little or no tolerance for mistakes and failures; a world filled with so many expectations, causing people to skip the growing process toward maturity. The initial phase is just as important as the peak stage. People nowadays show a lot of admiration for accomplishments, with little appreciation for the efforts that brought about the success. Most people have fallen into the trap of wanting to reap what they did not sow.

Here’s the reality: there’s a high chance that you’ll fail and suck at something you’re doing for the first time. Likewise, it’s most likely that the outcome won’t turn out so well when you haven’t done something in a very long time.

Allow me to take you down memory lane. Do you remember the first time you held a pen to write as a child? You’re smiling. Yes, you! Do you remember? Your handwriting was terrible. You even struggled with holding the pen, and you also didn’t know what each margin was meant for. You wrote anywhere and anyhow on the page. You were just a mess!

Fast forward, after many years of failures; note-taking, class exercises, cancellation of your work, and corrections (sometimes harsh) by your teachers you can now call yourself a pro. You can now write with no difficulty and without any supervision. Some people have even gone to the extent of being able to write with both hands.

You’ll agree with me that you didn’t get better at writing by chance, but by repeated errors, corrections, and practice. The same is true for every other skill. That master you so wish you were was once a disaster. Tell me, would you have wished to be like him if you had seen him when he was starting out? Maybe you’re even better than he was at the time he also started.

Repetition is the mother of all skill. It is what makes you exceptional and successful at anything. Celebrate and appreciate the achievements of those ahead of you, but inquire from them how they began, what has brought them this far, and apply it. The late Myles Munroe said, “Success is predictable. Just study and apply.”

I don’t know that thing you want to do but are afraid to do because you might fail and face ridicule from people you have so much respect for. Friend, allow me to be honest with you: if you haven’t done it before, or haven’t done it in a while, failure is almost inevitable.

But wait, don’t get discouraged yet. Failure is just proof that you’ve tried and a sign that you’re a student.

Unless you want to build a chicken coop but if you want to build a castle, it will require time and effort. Plant the seed of effort and allow it to grow. Don’t rush the process, but be diligent. Growth is not always visible, but it is definite. Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly (Job 8:7)

Surely, you’ll become a master of your craft, and you’ll execute your trade with precision and ease.

I warmly invite you to share this write-up with others so we can learn together. I would be glad to know your thoughts about the piece. I’ll be waiting.

Happy New Month.