For too long we have measured success by government posts, office chairs and official seals. We taught our youth that dignity lives behind a desk and that real achievement is defined by exams. In that belief we have quietly ignored the power of skilled hands. The truth is uncomfortable but necessary. The next millionaires of Nagaland will not all come from offices. They will rise from workshops, kitchens, construction sites and small rooms lit by laptop screens late at night.
An electrician climbing a pole in heavy rain is not doing a small job. He is powering homes, hospitals and dreams. A plumber repairing broken pipes at midnight is not merely fixing water. He is protecting health and human dignity. A young chef experimenting with local flavours is not simply cooking. She is preserving culture and building an experience people will pay for. A digital designer working from a rented room is not wasting time online. He is competing in a global market.
The tragedy is not that these careers are small. The tragedy is that we think they are.
We have trained our youth to wait. Wait for vacancies. Wait for recommendations. Wait for approval. But wealth does not wait. It moves toward those who solve problems. While many sit in uncertainty, skilled individuals are building value every single day. The electrician who learns advanced systems and renewable technology will lead the next wave of infrastructure. The plumber who masters modern water solutions will control essential services. The hospitality entrepreneur who understands service and branding will turn Nagaland’s identity into economic strength. The digital professional who builds online expertise can earn from anywhere in the world without leaving home.
Skill alone is not enough. Discipline transforms skill into income. Reputation transforms income into stability. Vision transforms stability into wealth. The difference between a worker and a future millionaire is not background or luck. It is mindset. One works for daily wages. The other builds systems, trains teams, secures contracts and reinvests earnings.
We must stop looking down on skill based careers. There is no shame in honest work. There is shame only in wasted potential. A state cannot grow if every young person waits for the same limited path. Growth happens when people create value, when services improve, when businesses expand and when confidence replaces fear.
Nagaland does not lack talent. It lacks structured skill development, long term thinking and bold execution. The youth must understand that usefulness is power. The world does not pay you for your title. It pays you for the problems you can solve.
The future millionaires of Nagaland are already among us. They are learning quietly. Practising consistently. Improving daily. They may not wear suits today. Their hands may carry tools, kitchen knives or laptops. But those same hands are building tomorrow’s economy.
When skill meets discipline and courage meets action, wealth becomes a matter of time. The new story of success in Nagaland will not be written only in offices. It will be written by those who choose to master their craft and build without waiting for permission.
Yievinyii Naga
President
Hiekha + NagaNext Education Services
Readers Can Reach Out to hiekhacoachingcentrekohima@gmail.com
Friday, February 27, 2026