DATED – 4th April 2016

There are various people whom we look upto in every field. If we ever refer to that field, their names are ought to be taken – Cricket Master – Sachin Tendulkar, Master Painter – M.F. Hussain, Tabla Master – Ustaad Zakir Hussain, Master of Sound Creation – A.R. Rahman, Master of Pop Music – Michael Jackson, Master of Flawless Voice – Celine Dion, Master Site for Social Networking – Facebook, Master of Technological Innovations – Apple, Master of Martial Arts – Bruce Lee, and so on. The list seems endless, doesn’t it?

When these people achieve something for themselves / country / humanity as a whole, we feel lifted and excited. That’s a natural human tendency, isn’t it? That’s fair. But have you ever thought – why do we look upto them? Well, the answer is already in the first paragraph – they are the masters of what they are doing.

For the past few days, a thought has been running in my mind – ‘Why is it that in the same field someone is a leader, and others are somehow managing to survive? What is the difference?’ I feel that those who are masters of their field are the ones who are doing well and are excited about getting up the next day morning. Have you ever thought of what are you a master of?

• Being a homemaker, are you a master of cooking a particular dish? If anyone wishes to cook that cuisine in their homes, do they call you up for the recipe?
• Are you a master of the business you are in? In case someone is stuck or needs clarity, do they call upon you as the first choice?
• If you are pursuing a sport, are you a master of it? Are you a sportsperson where the national team is waiting to embrace you?
• As an engineer, are you technically strong? In case of a hardware or software malfunction, are you the solution for the company?
• When someone gets ill, are you the first doctor that they call? Or are you called when they have no other option?
• When it comes to designing an ad, are you the agency people look forward to working with?
• As people finalise their new home/office, do they think of you as an interior designer/architect to help them build their dream project? Do they believe you will help them realise it?

I am not advocating that you should be a master of everything you do in life. That is practically not possible. Afterall, even Sachin Tendulkar was a master batsman, and not bowler. My question is – are you a master in whatever activity that occupies the most time of your day? If not, then our life will be an ordinary one. Like we look upto someone, no one might look upto us; maybe not even our children. That will be certainly alarming.

Vis-à-vis my life –

While I am a master of a few qualities (like – being calm and composed always, looking for solutions etc.), I need to work more on being a master at my work. I am good, but certainly not a master. Writing this blog has changed my thinking a lot. It is my promise to all of you that within a year, I will be a master of my field. It will need me to zero-in on some specific areas, which I am willing to do.

It is a very different authority with which I live and speak when I am a master of my field. Then I am not running behind people for various things, but I am in demand for my skills and knowledge. It is time to change the old phrase – ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ to ‘jack of all trades, MASTER OF ONE’!