Those training and practices are so essential and important. I know it feels like stress now. Waking up early to practice. Spending money on data for tutorials. Repeating the same drill 100 times while others are chilling. But trust me: Even if you don’t appreciate those things in the short run, you will do that in the longer run.
There will be a stage where the same training that felt like punishment will start feeling enjoyable. Your fingers will move faster. Your voice will sound clearer. Your ideas will flow easier. But before you get to that stage, you must embrace the ‘stress-filled’ training and practices. Don’t joke with them.
Because if you really want to utilize yourself, your skills, and your talents to the fullest, training and practices will be your ladder.
Why Development Matters: You Don’t Just Discover, You Must Develop
Discovery is step one. You find out “I can sing, I can write, I can design, I can sell.” Good.
But development is step two. And it’s where most people fail.
By developing your already discovered talents, you will get more details about them. You’ll learn things you never knew existed.
Example: You discovered you can cook. But after 6 months of training + YouTube tutorials + practicing new recipes daily, you now know food presentation, costing, customer service, packaging. Those details only show up during training.
With constant and continuous training and practices:
1. You know more facts about your capacities* - “I thought I could only sing high notes. Now I can control my breath for 10 seconds.”
2. You expand the horizon of you and your skill* - Your skill grows bigger than you. What started as “I can draw” becomes “I can brand companies”.
3. Hidden things come to light - Talents that were dormant wake up. Maybe you’re a singer, but during choir practice you discover you’re also a good leader. Development revives dormant gifts.
That’s why training and developing ourselves, our talents, and our skills is non-negotiable.
The 3 Big Benefits of Training + Practice
1. You Get Better After Every Session
This is the simple math of development: After each training and practice, you tend to be better than initially. Even if it’s just 1% better.
Irrespective of how little it may be, you stand a chance of moving forward.
Today you wrote 200 words. Tomorrow 220 words. Next week 300 words. In 1 year? You’re an author.
That’s just it. Training enhances you and your skills. You get better than before. Consistency > Intensity.
2. Training Makes You Professional
One major contribution of development is professionalism.
When you engage in constant trainings + practices + tired-less efforts, you’ll turn into a professional. And you won’t need anyone to announce it. You’ll notice it yourself.
You’ll compare yourself today vs 6 months ago and say “Wow, I’ve changed.” Your confidence grows. Your delivery improves. People start treating you differently because you carry yourself like a pro.
Footballers don’t become Messi overnight. Actors don’t become Genevieve overnight. It’s the thousands of hours of “stress-filled” training behind the scenes.
3. Training Separates the Top 1% from the Rest
There are thousands of actors in Nollywood. But only a few are called “A-list”. Why?
There are millions of footballers worldwide. But only a few play in Premier League. Why?
On many occasions, those in the “better category” engage in more committed, more ‘stress-filled’ trainings. They’re more eager to spend time, money, and energy acquiring the right training compared to others.
They put in more effort. So it’s no surprise they perform better. Natural talent gives you the start. Training gives you the finish line.
Yes, you may have the skill as a natural ability. But there’s still much space for improvement. How do you keep improving? Constant + continuous training and practice. That’s what awakens professionalism in you.
Those topping the chart in any field train and practice more often than others. Period.
Development = Invest in Yourself
In the attempt of utilizing yourself with your skills to the fullest, don’t take development lightly.
Development = trainings, practices, putting in tired-less efforts. It determines how far you can go.
If you put more effort, time, energy, resources, and zeal into training, it will be for your own good. It’s like investing in yourself. Maybe not for today, but definitely for tomorrow.
And truth be told: The benefits of development may not be clear at first. You won’t see results in week 1. But later on, you’ll appreciate every drop of sweat. You’ll thank yourself for not quitting.
But Development Is Not Just About Skill – Develop YOU
Now, just like discovery, I must place emphasis on developing yourself, not just your skill.
Why? Because you might discover an ability you do better than many people around you, but that may not be your calling. God might have a better plan. God might have a better assignment.
So after discovery, exercise patience. Match everything together: yourself, your intentions, your significance, your purpose, your dreams, your aspirations, and most importantly, God’s will for your life. Do they agree?
Real development has 2 parts:
Part 1: Train the skill - Practice singing, writing, coding, selling.
Part 2: Build yourself - Work on your attitude, character, behavior, emotions, relationships.
Because development means dispatching bad traits off your life and adopting new pleasant characters.
Character: The Hidden Reason Some Talented People Fail
Do you know why some people with special abilities are never heard of or never become great? They never work on themselves.
For many, the only opportunity that would have taken them to the top got scattered because of their attitude, character, and bad behavior.
Someone may notice your talent and God puts it in their heart to support you. But if you have wrong character, your attitude will push that person away.
How you behave to others is what people see. People are watching us even when we’re not conscious. They want to know:
1. What kind of person are you?
2. What are others saying about you?
3. How reliable are you?
4. How trustworthy are you?
Your character can open doors faster than your CV. Or close doors faster than your lack of skill.
So development is more than training skills to have mastery. It’s also you making yourself a better person.
7 Areas to Build While You Train Your Skill
While you’re doing constant practice to become a professional, don’t forget these:
1. Build your character - Be honest, humble, grateful. Pride kills destiny.
2. Work on your temper - Learn to control anger. Nobody wants to work with an angry genius.
3. Adjust your manners - Greet people. Say “thank you”. Reply messages. Small things matter.
4. Guard your passions - Don’t let wrong desires drive you. Stay focused on purpose.
5. Manage your emotions - Don’t react out of hurt. Learn emotional intelligence.
6. Work on relationships - Especially with God, parents, mentors, teammates. Relationships are currency.
7. Everything else about you - Your dressing, your speech, your punctuality. Details build reputation.
You can’t be perfect, but you can do your best. I’m not saying live to please people. But let your works and deeds speak for you.
The Foundation of All Development: Relationship with God
Here’s the truth: To be a better person in life, you need a solid relationship with God.
You need Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You need to allow Him to be Master of your life.
Why? Because the only One who can give you wisdom, knowledge, and understanding on how to live a good life is The Lord God Almighty. And He will give it to you in full measure.
The only true source where you learn how to live so your works and deeds keep saying good of you is The Word of God, The Bible. That’s guaranteed and proven truth.
If you’re already in a relationship with God, nurture it daily. Pray. Read. Obey. It will keep growing and yielding good fruits. Yes, it works!
So don’t just train your skills and talents. Also develop yourself by having a better relationship with God.
Move closer to Him. Ask Him for help. Live according to His commandments. Put Him first in all you do. And I’m assuring you: You will be happy. You will never regret knowing and walking with God.
Your 5-Step Development Plan Starting Today
Enough talk. Let’s act:
1. Schedule Training - Put 30-60 mins daily on your calendar for skill practice. Treat it like church. No excuses.
2. Find a Coach/Mentor - YouTube is free. But a human mentor speeds up growth. Ask someone better than you.
3. Track Progress - Every Sunday, write: “What’s 1% better than last week?” Small wins keep you motivated.
4. Build Character Daily - Pick one trait monthly. January = Punctuality. February = Gratitude. Work on it deliberately.
5. Daily Devotion - 15 mins Bible + prayer before any skill training. Let God develop your spirit while you develop your skill.
Final Word
Development is not punishment. It’s preparation. The training that feels like stress today will feel like strength tomorrow. The practice that looks boring now will look like brilliance later.
Don’t joke with it. Don’t postpone it. Train your skill. Build your character. Grow your relationship with God. Because when opportunity comes — and it will come — you won’t just have talent. You’ll have training. You won’t just have skill. You’ll have character.
And that combination? Nobody can stop you. Start today. Your future self is waiting to thank you.
