4 ms·
Yes. This has been a problem for me for most of my adult life. I coasted through grade school, college. Most things came easily, naturally. It all came crashin
by ambivalents 9y ago
Yes. This has been a problem for me for most of my adult life. I coasted through grade school, college. Most things came easily, naturally.
It all came crashing down for me, though, when I got my first semester law school grades back. For the first time in my life I did poorly, when I expected to do just as well as I had done before. It is not an exaggeration to say my entire sense of self erupted beneath me. I became depressed, anxious. I withdrew completely. I ended up dropping out of school. I am still recovering.
This sort of problem doesn't get much sympathy until it's too late. I hope gifted kids get more support these days.
I found some hope in the work of Carol Dweck and her book, "Mindset." All my life I had been told how smart and talented I was. I adopted this "fixed" mindset about myself, and when it was contested, I broke. Adopting a "growth" mindset is a much more sustainable, workable model. I highly recommend looking into Dweck's work for anyone who might be struggling in this vein.
- fujiters 9y agoBut how do you really adopt this mindset? I can't get over the feeling that it's only a helpful lie (it's better for you if you believe it even if it's not true) which keeps me from really buying in.