tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post7222460991650859912..comments2024-03-02T03:29:09.759-05:00Comments on SerandEz and Friends: A Childhood of Potential III: The More I FailEzziehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-38173544634234149592011-03-10T13:25:01.877-05:002011-03-10T13:25:01.877-05:00That's really interesting, thanks.
What's...That's really interesting, thanks.<br /><br />What's surprising though is that while the pattern of behavior is spot on, certainly later on in life (and I'll get to that) but I believe even earlier I didn't mind specific challenges. For example, I loved to "create excitement" by delaying studying for major exams until 2am the night before - it would create a huge rush. I couldn't study any other way - it was just too boring. <br /><br />Off the cuff I thought I recalled reading recently (I wish I could remember where) about something similar, except that it posited a combination of the two: That for the most part, intelligence is something a person is born with, but it can be improved with hard work... but only to a point. <br /><br />I'm recalling something about little kids being able to change their intelligence level for a few years. I'll see if I can find it.Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-29113218466520165072011-03-10T13:11:56.761-05:002011-03-10T13:11:56.761-05:00I recently read an article for class about theorie...I recently read an article for class about theories of intelligence. The gist of it was that there are two main views of intelligence: the entity theory, which posits that intelligence is something you are born with, and the amount of which doesn't change over the course of your life, and the incremental theory, which posits that intelligence is something achieved through hard work, something which can be increased. Carol Dweck's research showed that entity theorists were focused on proving themselves, on performance, while incremental theorists preferred a challenge to an easy A, and were less afraid of failure. It sounds to me like you were a classic entity theorist: Dweck even discusses precisely the pattern of behavior you describe; choosing not to try, because then any less-than-perfect results can be chalked up to the fact that you haven't given it your best rather than a lack of innate ability.SJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18085726186055340423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-27602111430235268312011-03-08T15:45:49.566-05:002011-03-08T15:45:49.566-05:00SaraK - I should clarify - I don't think it ma...SaraK - I should clarify - I don't think it made me feel like a failure, but it was me trying to avoid feeling like one. And I agree with just about everything you wrote for myself - I don't regret having fun and taking it easy for the most part, and the lessons learned were really valuable. But it was definitely (to me) a big issue in terms of my approach to life in general, and I wish that I'd understood it sooner.Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-471303409780679652011-03-08T14:13:39.002-05:002011-03-08T14:13:39.002-05:00I don't think my lack of effort in my schoolwo...I don't think my lack of effort in my schoolwork was related to feeling like a failure, I think i just preferred to do other, fun stuff rather than study to get a 100. I was doing just fine with B's and A's with minimal effort, so why did I need a 4.0 GPA? Of course, by the time I realized I could have been a Merit scholar, it was too late :)<br />Every single report card I ever got in school says the same thing: Sara has more potential. But I was smart and did reasonably OK, so I was able to slide by. I don't really regret it, my high school years were some of the best times of my life. I'm happy I was involved in more extra-curricular activities and didn't spend the best years of my life with my nose in a book.SaraKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08053908720926177402noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-51336219096992058942011-03-08T10:08:01.483-05:002011-03-08T10:08:01.483-05:00Wow, thank you!Wow, thank you!Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-73077552014089224372011-03-08T08:02:30.563-05:002011-03-08T08:02:30.563-05:00Yes I emailed this to my almost-Bar Mitzvah boy. ...Yes I emailed this to my almost-Bar Mitzvah boy. It's an important read. I'll save it for my other 2 children as well.Leah Weiss Carusohttp://therebbetzinrocks.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-91558746194090839752011-03-08T00:39:32.136-05:002011-03-08T00:39:32.136-05:00Wow, thank you. That's really flattering.Wow, thank you. That's really flattering.Ezziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12494592434522239195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13326001.post-162176558774181202011-03-08T00:38:45.689-05:002011-03-08T00:38:45.689-05:00An excellent post. So good, in fact that I'm ...An excellent post. So good, in fact that I'm printing it to share with my 5th grader son...when he's old enough to appreciate it.Neil Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12797772082427806345noreply@blogger.com