A message to all students from Richard Mullings, Director, M&M Jamaica Limited

I want all Jamaicans to consider mathematics as a small fight. Some of us are born with naturally bigger math muscles and others need some training to build those muscles. If you knew you had to battle someone and you were the weakling, you would be foolish not to train for the encounter. If you were the stronger opponent, you would be foolish to let pride get the better of you and cause you not to train, therby allowing the weaker person to beat you.

That being said however, you should bear in mind that sometimes no matter how hard you train you might get beaten, albeit not as badly as if you hadn’t.

Using my life as an example, I am an engineer who loves mathematics and science, but I spend much of my time handling the business aspect of things, which often doesn’t require complex equations. Instead, it requires constant energy to simultaneously complete many tasks such as reading contracts, debating with clients, bargaining with suppliers, reasoning with employees, and so on. These are not my primary skills; I have to make an extra effort. I have to keep physically fit to have the energy to complete all the tasks, I have to go to seminars to keep my knowledge-base current and I have to do research to fill in gaps in my skills set, all in an effort to stay on top of my responsibilities. That’s how I train for my fight. Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win, and I keep trying to win more.

Even though you encounter obstacles and disappointments, you must realise that training yourself prepares you for those obstacles, even when you feel the circumstances are not in your favour. As a matter of fact, it is especially when things are not in your favour that you derive maximum benefit from meeting the challenge.

An example: Two years after retirement, almost 80 per cent of NFL (American football) players are near bankrupt. Five years after retirement, almost 60 per cent of NBA players are out of money although the average annual NBA US$5million. I submit that they would be better off if they had put serious effort into financial planning and money management, skills that wouldn’t help them on the field or the court. These skills were probably harder for them to develop than their sporting talent, but they are very important if they intend to maintain their quality of life and support their families.

If you put out the effort and try all you can to excel at mathematics, you will become a better student, a better businessman, a better financial controller, a better actuarial scientist, and so on, but most importantly, you will become a better person.

Therefore, I am encouraging you to think, ‘Who am I fighting and what am I fighting for?’

You are fighting against the negative elements that say you can’t succeed at math. You are fighting against the circumstances that try to hold you back: lack of money, issues at home, etc. Fight yourself, fight the inertia and lack of will to do the things you need to do to become successful.

But in the quest to win, do not sacrifice your integrity. If you do, you would have lost.

M&M Jamaica Ltd specialises in civil engineering and residential construction. We build highways, bridges, water supply systems, houses, and a variety of other structures and infrastructure vital to our country. We are a Jamaican-owned company with Jamaican employees. We take immense pride in our work and believe that contrary to the thoughts of some, Jamaica and Jamaicans can achieve great feats by their own effort.