by Adedoyin Jaiyesimi

We should not be too quick to dismiss people who are good at a lot of things. They are just talented. And contrary to what you believe, they are not trying to show off.

Do you remember this popular saying from way back, “Jack of all trade, master of none?” I never understood it until I got older. It basically means that you cannot be good at everything. It is usually said to get people to focus on one thing rather than spreading their energy over different (often unrelated) activities.

Sometimes I have to question the validity of that statement. Maybe that’s because I have found myself in a situation where I am good at a lot of things and I have been able to master them. I may not be a ‘master of all’ but I am a ‘master at a lot’. That’s how God created me. I am a multi-talented woman. I can succeed at anything that I put my mind to. That’s why although I am a writer, I am good at mathematics, I sing and so on. There are things I have to consciously refrain myself from doing because I will spread myself too thin. I am naturally inquisitive and I absorb information like a sponge. Over the years I have tried my hands at various things and I have excelled at them. And these things I’ve learnt have come in handy one way or the other.

We should not be too quick to dismiss people who are good at a lot of things. They are just talented. And contrary to what you believe, they are not trying to show off. I love people who are multi-talented. It’s never a dull moment with them. I’ve met doctors who are excellent athletes and they are also talented musicians. Some of them are good in even more areas. I usually find myself attracted to such people because I want to learn what they know.

When you are good at a lot of things you are able to wear different hats. I remember my church back in uni, it looked like I was all over the place because I was involved in a lot of things. I was the head of administration, a member of the finance team, the sales and welfare person of the media team, a member of the youth choir and I was also in the projection team (only me?) You can imagine that I must have been really stressed on various occasions but I enjoyed it. I didn’t drop the ball once; I was efficient in every role that I played. I think that’s a gift that God has given me. To be able to balance all the different aspects of my gift and know how to use them efficiently.

It’s good to master one thing and be excellent at it but it is better to add something else and excel at it too. I won’t recommend that you have your hand in so many things like me but you can expand your capacity. I don’t believe we were created to be one-dimensional. As you discover what you are good at, find other things that can complement that gift. Today’s world requires you to be multi-dimensional in a lot of ways. Besides those who are able to wear different hats have more fun (you didn’t hear that from me!)

———————-

– [Photo credit H/T Tech.co]

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.