As a Counselor, I hear
students state several reasons for academic failure. Some have genuine reasons.
But most students give a variety of excuses to direct focus away from
themselves.
Some
of the common excuses are as follows:
"I
am not intelligent/talented"- Intelligence has a minor
role to play in achievement. Do not spend time comparing yourself to others. The ones who are ahead don't get there by
chance, luck or intelligence, they get there by sheer dedication and commitment
to success. You can win too. Efforts matter. Hard-work, discipline and perseverance
are values that make men great.
"Someone
said I'm stupid"-
That someone could be anyone around you. But that someone's opinion
shouldn't define you. Being stupid or intelligent has no significant impact on
your grades. But lack of seriousness towards academics greatly affects your
performance. Challenge yourself. Prove those critics wrong. The best revenge is
being successful.
"The
teacher is bad"- The oldest excuse in every under-performing student's book is to shift the blame on the teacher. Not
surprisingly, the under-performers unanimously agree that the teacher is
ignorant/strict/boring/too soft etc. Spend
some time introspecting and make changes in your own behavior and attitude
towards the teacher and the subject. You will begin to see a difference in your
level of interest when you take accountability for your own achievement.
"My
parents give me a hard time"- More blame game. You
can spend your life blaming everyone around you for your poor performance or
pull up your socks and decide to take charge of your grades. Every concerned
parent on earth guides, educates and corrects their child. They have best
intentions at heart for you, even when they are strict.
"I
had no time"- Please check the amount of time you
spend on social networking sites or video games or having meaningless chats
with people who don't really care about you. Invest time everyday in reading or
studying at least one subject thoroughly besides doing your regular homework. Successful
athletes and world class sports players invest an average of 6 hours per day
practicing their sport. How much time are you willing to dedicate?
"I
studied hard but.."- If you think studying an hour or
two during exams is hard-work then you're wrong, my friend. This is a reality
check for senior students. Don't confuse hard-work with average efforts. If
your efforts are not showing results then increase your efforts.
"I
studied but I forgot everything"- This happens when you
haven't revised enough. Your brain is likely to forget information that is not
rehearsed. Use proper study techniques for learning and remembering
information. Get creative - Use repetitions, mnemonics, visual imagery to
remember. Teach yourself or another student. The more you teach, the more you remember.
"The
subject is difficult" - And so is every sport that you
enjoy playing. No one gets good at it without putting excessive amounts of time
and efforts of practice. To be an expert at any sport or subject you have put
in extra hours mastering skills and information every day.
How
hungry are you for success?
The more excuses you
make the farther away it takes you from being successful. Your efforts
determine your grades not your circumstances and not the people around you. Get
obsessed. Let your goals so consume you that you have no time to complain or
whine. Remember, a mediocre gives up when there are obstacles but a champion overcomes
every single obstacle.
