Hello
people, how are you? (Not quoting Adele here LOL) I want to resume something I
started last year which is the THIN LINE SERIES. Today I want to talk about
when professionalism can turn to mediocrity and how thin the line is between
these two variables.
Before
I begin, I want to give my personal definition of who a professional is and who
a mediocre is. A professional is someone who takes the time to practice a
particular craft to the point you are an authority on that particular
subject/craft. A mediocre on the other hand, only knows the basics of a
particular craft and sticks to his/her “guns” thinking it is the “end all, be
all” of that particular specialty.
The one trait of a professional is that he or she is humble. It is said that “if you’ve got it, you’ve got it”. A professional does not need to “toot his horn” to make a point. I have heard some people (especially old people) who mention stuff like “I’ve been doing this before your mother thought of conceiving you”. Well it is true that old people who are experienced in a particular field have been in the game for a long time but when they refuse to adapt with the times, their experience becomes limited just because they did not have the sense to ask questions. I know some professionals in the field who don’t know what a “Word processor” is and have no interest in learning. You may be an expert in a field but pride makes that expert a mediocre because he/she feels they know everything about that subject matter.
To
further buttress my point is my father. He is a professional Land Surveyor with
years of practice. To keep up with the times, he learnt how to use a GPS device
to survey land easily which was not possible in the early 90s because back
then, we had to carry heavy equipment which included a Theodolite, ranging
pole, a tripod and so on. Some people are still trying to figure out how to
operate the GPS gizmo and they have the same experience as my father. My father
narrowly crossed the line from being a mediocre to a professional because he
was humble enough to learn how to accommodate the times.
Another
trait of a professional is the ability to see beyond the now. Just like the
example I gave above, my father saw the future of surveying and took that leap
of faith to stand out above his peers. A professional does not hold on
completely to the antiquated methods of performing his/her trade. As a video
editor/blogger, I look for new ways and discover new methods of editing and
writing. What fascinates me is the fact that humans have the ability to choose
whether to be stagnant or mobile. If I had not enlarged my knowledge of
computer studies, I would not be able to create a blog but would rather stick
to what I was taught in school which was not much to begin with. A mediocre on
the other hand sticks solely to the old and brings up excuses of the evils of
modernism to cover up his/her inadequacies.
On
a final note, I would like to say that I am not really a professional or a
mediocre in my chosen field, but I believe that with time and dedication, I
will be able to go far. Just like they say, “Rome was not built in a day”.
Nobody in this world was born to know everything; just was we all were born as
babies, we grow all the way to old age where we reflect on what we have done
with our lives. The fact that I have chosen something to do shows that I have
given my life purpose and something to strive for. When I feel like I am done,
I look for new ways to improve on what I know because despite what we know
about any subject matter, there is always something new to be learnt. For
instance, when man discovered how to make fire, we started by striking two
rocks together, from there we discovered the types of rocks we can use to
create fire faster, in time we used those antiquated means of creating fire to
invent more efficient means of creating fire. Using this analogy, a
professional embraces the old and new ways of creating fire because he/she has
decided to evolve but a mediocre will stick to the old ways because that what
he/she is comfortable with.
Don’t
get comfortable for too long. Deliberately groom yourself so that you can pass
something on to the next generation. Your generation will hold you accountable
for your actions. Make no mistakes people will criticize you and call you a
radical but when your ideas bring positive change, those same people that booed
you will be the same ones who will sing your praises.
Always
keep an open mind and an open heart.
Thanks
for reading...
I look forward to reading your comments on the box
below.
E-Mail: johnnyogah2000@gmail.com
So everyone, LIVE
LONG AND EXCEL.
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