I get this question very often – how do I become better in what I do? My answer: work with the best. Yes, until you work with the best, you may not understand what it means to operate at the highest level. If you work with average players, you will not be challenged.

The same applies to education: unless you attend classes with the finest minds, you may not see what it means to push the boundaries.

Please note that the finest minds can be anywhere – do not start thinking of Ivy Leagues or MNCs. The key is a culture and visioning system in any specific entity to have the best possible. Until you make 93% and get a C grade, you will not understand that some kids are simply better than even the professors teaching them. But the professor has an advantage: he/she will do the grading.

You get the idea, you got 70% and made A; someone got 93% in a very serious school and made C. Then, you will understand what it means to be challenged!

The last word – connect with people that can challenge you to be better. Then with tenacity, discipline and focus, reach higher.

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1.Of course there are lots of people who revel in being ‘local champion’, having some elevated sense of importance when they are in the midst of the uninformed, a bad grading system anyway.

You may think that you are actually good enough, until you come in contact with those whose 10% output is better than your 100%; that would give an idea of the sort of improvement ahead of you.

Praises and endorsements from children are worthless, because they are not the right people to assess your capabilities and intellectual prowess, until you are paired with those who really know, only to see yourself taking first position from south…

2. Very sound advice here from prof but I will also like to add a few that has personally worked for me.

Consistency is key if you want to be better at what you do. Don’t ever undervalue the importance of consistent little progress.

Another is the law of cause & effect. You see the effect you want, then work backwardly to your present position and plan how to get there. Network with people who are successful in the filed, take them out on lunch, offer to do something for them, then ask questions about what habits they have developed to be at that level.

Lastly, I personally discovered that Success in any field follows the principle of 2-5-10.
If you engage yourself in an industry for 2 years and consistently develop yourself to deliver to people, it takes an average of 2 years to get known and recognized for it.
By the 5th year, you are a force in the industry that’s if you are consistent in growth and delivery.
By the 10th year of consistent growth, development and delivery, you become an industry leader with high network, substantial share of the industry and good following
In essence give yourself TIME while you continuously develop capacity

Raila Odinga, a Kenyan opposition leader, has used Nigeria as a subject of an anecdote to explain how Nigeria has patented corruption in public service. Nollywood should buy the script.

“At the end of the evening, he (Nigerian minister) asked his host how he had managed to do so well for himself to which the Malaysian minister took the Nigerian to his balcony and showed him a highway far off. ‘You see that highway, 10% here’ the Malaysian said,” Mr Odinga narrated, saying that a fraction of the fund for the road had gone back to the minister in kickback used to build his impressive home.

The audience burst in laughter.

Then, it was time for the Nigerian minister to showcase his acquisition as a proceed of corruption.

The Malaysian minister was visiting the Nigerian minister. The two toured parts of Nigeria and, unlike Malaysia, the roads in African country were in terrible conditions with potholes everywhere.

After the tour, the Nigerian took the Malaysian to his Lagos home.

“He found an Olympic sized swimming pool, the sofa sets were imported from Britain, most of the kitchen-ware were golden,” Mr Odinga said describing the Lagos home.

The Malaysian asked how his friend had accumulated wealth and was taken to the balcony.

“Do you see that highway there?,” asked the west African minister but the Malaysian could see nothing.

“‘But I don’t see anything’ the foreigner said. The Nigerian explained, ‘That highway, 100% here’,” Mr Odinga concluded, provoking laughter in the hall.