How to Master Your Craft

Mastery doesn't just happen overnight. It takes time and I believe takes quite a long ride. It's not just about sparing your time to your craft but being committed to it. Mastery, as most successful people say, is a commitment.

If we want to be great at what we do, we should keep in mind the following:

1. Always stay a student

Not in school, mind you. What I mean by this is that don't stop learning. Never assume that you have it all figured out. When I was starting my first stint as a segment producer, one of my superiors always tells me that it's better to ask over and over and get the answer you should know than pretend to know everything and ask yourself what to do. Who cares if your boss gets irritated with your questioning if at the end of the day, both of you will benefit for producing a good output?

My job before as a news producer is completely terrifying. One, because it's the least I'd want to do of all the things that cover the media business. And two, everything should be reported correctly. There's no room for mistakes. 

My friends often tell me that I'm like studying all over again because of the endless research and fact-checking. We solely rely on facts to deliver the truth and nothing but the truth. 

2. Think that you're not the best at your craft

It's different from being confident with your craft and being full of yourself, okay? Know the difference. What I want to point here is to always seek negative feedback. 

Whenever I write something, I ask someone to read and comment about it and the first thing I always ask them is "Is it okay? What do I need to change?" This way, I'll know what people would or would not like.

3. Take small steps

I know it's brave to take bigger risks but tiptoeing will hurt you less in case all else fails. Great achievements involve great risks, I know. But small steps and motivation lead you to sure success. Not being pessimistic here but I've always believed in the idea of slowly but surely.

Patience is a virtue, they say. Because it is. If you wait for your turn, great things can happen and you'll be glad you took your time.

4. Go for the menial job

Besides, it's better to take it than have nothing at all. Who cares if your batch mate's entry job is your dream job? What's wrong with doing the grunt work? In my case back then, it took a lot of time for these thoughts to sink in. 

I started as an editorial assistant for a magazine and work my way to become a contributing writer. I left my job and took another grunt work for a competing network. And now, I'm a producer. You see, everything takes time. It doesn't matter where you are now. What matters is where you'll be headed. You will get there. Maybe not now, but one day, you will.

5. Get out of social media. For awhile. 

Take a break from all the glitz and glamour caged on the square images on your phone and focus on your work.

6. Beat resistance into submission

You know what's preventing us to go where we want to be? It's our own resistance. The biggest enemy of progress in any craft is the voice telling is to work tomorrow, that we are not yet ready, that we are not good enough, that we don't have what it takes, and so on. The only way to progress is to fight resistance and continue what you have started no matter what.

7. It's okay to fail

As I'm always saying on my blog. So what if you failed at your first, second and third try? Don't stop. It’s how you get better.

Dress from Gamiss

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