Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why every parent is anxious to know what position their child was in class exams at the close of each school’s term?

Why do we have to subject our beloved children to such stressful questions as ‘What position were you in class?’

On the other hand, do we have to subject ourselves to the humiliating reality when we get a sincere answer to the effect that our son or daughter was second last in his or her class?

It is not a guarantee they will fall under numbers one to three, which are highly coveted and already overcrowded in competition. And yet, in a class of thirty pupils, they will have to be the first and the last on the merit list. It is not likely for the thirty pupils to tie up in the first position.

But come to think of it, have you ever wondered how nearly all grownups who have been to school brag to have been number one throughout all classes come? That’s food for thought, perhaps a debate for another day.

Does it, therefore, always follow that the last pupil on the merit list is the dullest in the class or that the first is the most intelligent? Not necessary.

For instance, if the pass mark is 50% and it happens that the first pupil on the merit list in a class of 40 pupils scores 98% and the last 75%, it would be unfair to brand the last pupil on the merit list a dull chap.

Obviously, he is an equally brilliant pupil despite having ‘tailed’ the class. It only happens when the entire class is made up of ‘sharp-shooters.’ The best they can do for themselves is to seek to improve their grades, not their relative positions in class.

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We should, as much as possible, avoid the unnecessary stress that comes from comparing ourselves with others. Remember, there will always be people better than you, smarter than you, more intelligent than you, and more successful than you.

There will always be people who are less smart, less intelligent, and less successful than you. It doesn’t make sense, therefore, to have sleepless nights competing with others who might naturally be better gifted and endowed than you in some ways, while you are gifted too, but in other ways.

Set your own goals in life.

Remember, a goal is a dream, but that has a deadline. Develop both long-term and short-term goals. Your long-term goal is your ultimate dream career. The short-term goals are usually small, achievable, and time-bound. These are targets toward the long-term goal.

For instance, if you want to become a medical doctor, you must aim at attaining appropriate grades in your secondary education that would qualify you for admission into the faculty of medicine at the university level.

Your short-term goals in such a case include constant revision, active involvement in study groups, brilliant performance in continuous assessment tests, and good grades in the mock exams.

Don’t be so overwhelmed that you begin to procrastinate. Remain focused on your long-term goal to cushion yourself from the frustrations of failures in your short-term goals.

Stop blaming everybody for everything that is wrong with you. We all have setbacks, but that should not necessarily stop you prematurely. Work your way out diligently and confidently until you surprise yourself with how much you can do.

Confess Here Anonymously.

May 29, 2022 |