On my desk is a copy of Umberto Eco's How to Travel with a Salmon. It is, by far, one of the most amusing essay collections I have had the pleasure of reading. It is a simple matter to write an essay, but to give that essay a razor edge of wit and depth is an endeavor of greater caliber, one that I feel more young writers should aspire to.

I've been in the business of writing for only a few years, but I've been an avid writer for quite a while now. I'm not the storytelling sort, though, and poetry slips through my fingers like water. I tried a few times, but the results weren't exactly the awe-inspiring sort.

While I didn't consciously intend it to be the case, I became an essayist. I don't mind -- I can express myself well enough while writing for various purposes, but my essays are where I'm most comfortable.

We all have our areas of expertise, paths that come naturally to us. We may not know exactly why our talents lie in those directions, but the fact remains that these are our strengths. It's up to us to nurture our natural advantages, and to harness our potential.

Keep at it, though. Some people tend to stop their efforts at advancement once they reach what they believe to be their limit, what they consider to be good enough for them. I'm of the belief that you should never stop trying to improve yourself and your skills. There will be times when your attempts may seem to plateau, but you never know when that little extra will change your work from okay to spectacular.

Never settle for being just okay. Be more than just good at what you do, be more than just great.

Be relentless.

[First published by Perspective, DLSU - College of St. Benilde]