Whether first or tenth for Emiratis, it's all about being best at what you do

Over the past 40 years, stories of those Emiratis who were "the first" to do something have been all over the news. But now it is time to move ahead and focus on the quality of work.

Last month, The National interviewed the first Emirati all-girl rock band. "Playing rock 'n' roll is awesome," said one of the members, Bushra Hassan Al Hashimi, a 22-year-old IT security student who plays rhythm guitar.

"We are the first girls from the UAE who play electric guitars as a band," she said proudly.

Regardless of society's opinion about these young women and what they do, these students at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Al Ain are pioneers in an unconventional field for Emirati females; they've become the first group to perform rock 'n' roll in public. And this is what has made them exceptional, and known both inside their school and in the wider community.

The UAE is a young country; just 41 years old. It has been developing at a rapid pace. And as the nation has developed, many new opportunities have been created, and many men and women have joined the workforce. Others have chosen to start their own businesses and pursue their own dreams.

Now we see Emiratis working in almost every field. Many of them have entered new domains, challenged societal norms and faced unusual difficulties. And in the case of Emirati women, this is even more evident.

Many women have gone beyond the roles and responsibilities mandated by traditional society. We now see women working in what were once unconventional careers, from ministers to judges, engineers to athletes; the list goes on. In a short period of time, the UAE has moved a long way in the empowerment of women, and it has become a model for the whole region.

Last week, a group of students from Dubai Women's College organised a forum titled "Emirati Women Breaking Barriers" to celebrate the first Emirati women in non-traditional fields. As part of their final project, the group created a small booklet highlighting the stories of more than 30 Emiratis believed to be the first women in their career field.

A number of female pioneers spoke about their experiences as they blazed the trail for other women. Many of them described their families' reluctance when they decided to play unconventional roles, and they all agreed that their determination was key to becoming who they are today.

I believe that the power of example is what changes the world. All these women were certainly a source of inspiration. Despite the cultural challenges they faced, they were able to follow their ambitions and dreams. These women must have inspired many others to take their paths and to do what they do. The same goes for the first male pioneers in many professions.

However, we seem to focus more on the start of the journey than on the richness of the experience along the way. The UAE has much more talent to offer and many people who are good at what they do. Members of this new generation have created their own success stories not by being the first, but by aiming to be better than the others.

I learnt in journalism school that, in the modern world, we should focus on the quality of our news articles rather than on finishing them first. Of course it would be even better if we could achieve both, but we were told our focus should be on producing the best quality of work we could. And this is what would give us an advantage over others in the same field.

This could be applied to many other aspects of life.

Let's ask ourselves what is more important: is it being the first to do something or to be the best - or at least to be good- at what we do?

Over the past four decades, stories of those who were "the first" to do something have been all over the news. But now it is time to move ahead and focus on the quality of our work and what we can give back to our nation. The UAE is lucky to have many men and women who have participated in building the country, whether they were the first or the tenth.

Now more than ever, our nation needs more innovative and creative people willing to work hard to prove themselves in every field. Focusing on the quality of what we do will create a more competitive environment among the citizens of the UAE and bring to the fore many new and talented Emiratis who are able to think outside the box.

In a recent event named after the UAE Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum's three-fingered salute, "Win, Victory and Love", at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, Mohammed Harib, creator of the renowned Emirati animation Freej, told the students that he took his time to work on the project before it saw the light of day.

"When I entered the field, I did not want to be the first Emirati to enter it, but I wanted to be the best Emirati in it," he said.

Let us all aim to be the best.

On Twitter: @AyeshaAlmazroui