When you skill up, you stop waiting to be chosen, you start choosing yourself’.

When I was young, I believed that success was a straight road, without bends and curves, study hard, get good grades, secure a good paying job, and everything else would fall neatly into place. It took growing up to realize that life doesn’t always move in neat, predictable lines. It can be messy sometimes, complex, and beautiful in its unpredictability. It demands more than academic grades; it demands grit, creativity, determination and the courage to evolve.

And for many girls, especially in societies that still measure our worth by how well we please others, we are rarely taught to put ourselves into consideration much less how to discover, to create, to build. We are told to be “good” “obey” and act “nicely,” but not necessarily to be capable and believe in our own worthiness.

We are told to be “beautiful,” but not to be brilliant. We are told to fit in, when perhaps, we were born to stand out because when women rise, entire nations rise with them.

Every girl conveys within her a reservoir of potential waiting to be discovered, nurtured, and empowered. But many times, her talents are buried under the weight of societal expectations, fear, lack of opportunities and silence.

Discovering your talent as a young woman isn’t about sudden revelation, it’s about paying attention to yourself. What excites you? What comes naturally to you? What gives you a sense of purpose?

Maybe you write words that make people pause. Maybe you organize others so effortlessly that chaos seems to bow in your presence. Maybe you create art, sing, cook, dance, design, fix, or teach in ways that melt the hearts of people.

Those are not just hobbies, they are destiny blueprints.

But many girls never see these hints because the world often tells them their dreams are too loud, too ambitious, too unrealistic, regular and unachievable. The girl who dreams of building software is told, “That’s for boys.” The one who loves science is told, “You’ll have no time for your husband and children.” The one who paints or writes is told, “That won’t feed you.” Sometimes, dreams shrink and potential hides. But, your gift is not meant to hide. It is meant to shine and bloom.

Skill is the new form of freedom. It is the assurance that your value is not dependent on anyone’s validation and money. When you learn a skill, be it technical, creative, or practical, you build a life that belongs entirely to you.

A skill is beyond what you do; it’s a form of power. It liberates you from dependence and fear.

Think of Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the genius Nigerian economist and Director-General of the World Trade Organization (W.T.O). Her education and skill in policy, finance, and diplomacy made her a force the world cannot ignore. Or Genevieve Nnaji, who transformed her acting talent into a full-fledged film empire, directing and producing movies that tell African stories to the world.

These women and many others are proof that when you skill up, you rise above limitations, become the writer of your own story and set standards.

Too often, we want to be experts before we even begin. But the courage to explore, to try, fail, and try again is what shapes every skill.

Every skilled woman you admire once began as a beginner. The coder who builds apps once didn’t know what HTML meant. The chef who owns a restaurant once burnt her first meal or made the worse meal. The fashion designer who owns an empire once made unattractive dress designs. The writer whose words move millions once stared at a blank page in doubt.

So, start small, take baby steps. Take that free course. Join that workshop. Volunteer. Ask questions. Watch tutorials. Be unafraid to learn publicly and imperfectly. Because the world belongs to only people who try.

Talent is natural, but skill is deliberate. Talent gives you potential, but skill gives you mastery. A girl who can sing beautifully will fade into the background if she never learns discipline, vocal training, and stage presence. Talent gets you noticed; skill keeps you respected.

In a world obsessed with quick fame, skill teaches patience, the kind that produces depth, excellence, and longevity. Skill gives women a voice in spaces that once excluded them.

When girls learn and develop skills, they don’t just improve their own lives, they uplift others. You can be anything you desire if you can put in the effort to know it.

Consider Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, her storytelling skill is not only art; it is activism. Through her skill, she reshapes how the world perceives African women: complex, intelligent and unapologetic.

So, skill up, girl. Not because society demands it, but because you deserve it. Learn to master something, whether it’s a trade, a craft, a language, or a technology. Do it for the girl you once were, the one who doubted if she was enough. Do it for the woman you are becoming, the one who knows she is capable and worthy.

Do not wait for permission. The world may not always clap for your first steps, but one day, it will stand in awe of your growth. Your skills are your wings; they will take you places your fears never could.

Dear girl, you were never meant to be ordinary. Inside you lies a spark that can light up rooms, communities, and nations. The world doesn’t need you to be perfect, it needs you to be present and prepared.

When you skill up, you are not just learning to do, you are learning to be useful but also to be confident, to be capable, to be free.

So, learn boldly. Create fearlessly. And remember: your hidden talents are not hidden because they don’t exist, they’re hidden because you haven’t looked deeply enough.

A skilled girl is an unstoppable force. She doesn’t wait for opportunities, she creates them. Skill up, girl. The world is waiting for your brilliance.

Praise Eberechi  Azubuike

Abuja, Nigeria.