“It’s Someone Who Practices a Single Profession 10,000 Times that becomes a Professional, Not Someone who Dabbles in 10,000 Professions Just Once.”

Our guest today, Measho Tewelde, is a civil engineer and is currently working at Segen Construction Company (SCC). He had worked at ASBECO Construction Company for 16 years before he was reassigned to SCC in 2024. Measho has been writing articles for Haddas Eritrea since 2018. He has also produced books and composes music.

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Can one have more than one profession?

Sure, but you must first have a genuine passion for the profession and be prepared to put in the effort to excel in the tasks you perform. Whether we realize it or not, we all engage in multiple tasks. One of the many effective methods I use is the 30 minute’s theory. For instance, if one spends 30 minutes a day practicing the guitar, he/she becomes proficient in a while. It all depends on using your time wisely. So, by sticking to the scheduled time and working with dedication, there is no reason one can’t be a master of more than one profession.

I believe it’s someone who practices a single profession 10,000 times that becomes a professional, not someone who dabbles in 10,000 professions just once. With 24 hours in a day, proper time management allows a person to master several professions simultaneously. What we need to always remember is that at the end of the day a profession is validated by action and discipline.

What are your thoughts about writing?

Based on my personal experience, a person is an outcome of the community he/she lives in. Growing up around my grandfather who is a knowledgeable narrator and my mother helped me to have a keen interest in what I grew up hearing. That led to my interest in writing.

I believe writing isn’t exclusive to a select few; anyone can write. Of course you need to know how to write. If someone with years of experience in a profession doesn’t share their knowledge, what’s the use? Writing is an essential communication tool that transmits history across generations. Societies with written heritage are more advanced than those without. Thus, I urge everyone to keep at least a daily journal. This simple habit could eventually contribute significantly to one’s country’s or even the world’s literature. Writing is a game-changer when practiced diligently.

Let’s move on to your book. What is it about?

The title of my book is “Ita Dairo Metkel”. Starting from its title, it attempts to demonstrate the importance of our ancestors’ culture. Dairo, sycamore, is a tree under whose shade important meetings and events used to be held in the past. It is an emblem of the values of our society. In a narrative style, my book attempts to show our basic traditional laws, customs and lifestyle that reflect our identity as a society and what we have been through.

What is your musical journey like?

When I was playing the guitar in my early days, I often thought about how to blend it with our traditional music. Hearing my mom sing always captivated me. Her songs focused on nostalgia. Over time I came to realize that it was closely related to the blues. I call them ‘Nay beal Adey derfi,’ my mother’s songs, which have influenced me to lean toward the blues. So far, I have produced an album and three singles. I wrote some of the lyrics of the songs. I also have a plan to release an album although these days I am spending the time mainly playing music at piano bars and different ceremonies.

What types of articles do you write in the national newspaper, Hadas Eritrea?

They tend to be psychological and target the youth. I have so far written around 70 articles, and the feedback I get is very encouraging.

Isn’t it difficult to juggle different kinds of professions?

Professions don’t necessarily compete against one another. It all depends on how faithful we are to each of the professions we practice. In my case, if I get engaged in one of the professions, I immerse myself in it to the point of forgetting that I am equally capable of performing the others. I give all my passion and attention based on the schedule I assign to each one of them.

What have you learned from your experience?

That as long as one is good at time management, he/she is capable of achieving their goal. Our greatest gift from God is having a mind that is always ready to learn new things. What matters is living in the present circumstance because every circumstance comes with its own opportunities. There is nothing that can’t be achieved when given time and a serious mind.

Thank you, Measho.