The purview of a wizard is, ultimately, one of spite.
That is to say, wizards live their lives dedicated to a craft that has far more accessible barriers of entry, yet choose to go about it in the hardest way possible. The average magical talent in our day to day lives tends to have earned their ability through reliance on another, be it a deity, elemental force, magical beastie, or other such matter.
Wizards, on the other hand, spend decades learning magic by rote, academically learning to shape arcane forces by slow degrees. The average wizard cannot, as a general rule, be expected to wield enough power to even light a candle before they've devoted at least half a decade to the study of things like energy manipulation, mental insulation, spellcraft theory, and even candle making for good measure.
So then, why do wizards exist? It seems an awful headache for them when they could just take the path well trodden, right?
It's because, at the end of the day, we know that when power is given, it can be taken. That those fickle deities, harsh elementals, churlish beasties, and whatever-else-have-you hold all the cards in your magic. You are beholden to them. If you dare to act within your purview as a mortal, to act with free will, to step out of the carefully laid cage they've laid out for you, they take it all back for the impertinence...
Wizards, however, look those powerful creatures dead in the eye and say, "My magic is my own." It is wrought from our minds and our will, the knowledge and power to shape reality inherent.
Yes, there are easier paths, but nothing worth doing is easy.
