3 ms·
The key moment for me when I first had an inkling that being smart wasn't enough on it's own came at my grade 11 math final exam. I finished it in 45 minutes.
by mabbo 7y ago
The key moment for me when I first had an inkling that being smart wasn't enough on it's own came at my grade 11 math final exam.
I finished it in 45 minutes. No problem. Got an 88%. Felt awesome. Simon, the prototype of the "jock" football player, took the full 2.5 hours offered on the same exam. He got a 99%.
It bothered me for years because it went against everything I knew. I was smarter, so I deserved the better grade. I finished so much faster than him! If I'd spent the full 2.5 hours I'm sure I'd have gotten 100%... But I didn't do that.
It took until college before I finally came to understand: nobody cares how clever you are. There are no points for that in life. Points are for getting things done, for accomplishments.
(I should also mention that despite the jock stereotype of acting superior, etc, Simon was one of the nicest guys!)
- beauzero 7y agoMy brother was always a better learner/student than me as well. He would study 10+ hours for an exam...or all night if that is what it took. I would cram 15 minutes before an exam. We both got similar grades. The difference is that he retained most of what he studied. A month later I didn't remember it. We adjusted our jobs similarly. Mine requires large amounts of information being take in and used quickly to solve problems...sometimes only once. He teaches difficult students a very difficult subject.
- sanxiyn 7y agoThis kind of thinking is very foreign to me but apparently it is common? Getting 100% in exam never required any effort for me, so I never studied for exam. I always studied to understand, so I retained it all.
- shiitake 7y agoIt sounds like you learned that lesson at the correct time.