There
is a Necessary Order
As
hard as it is to believe, I have heard of teachers who were willing to let
their students do the math wrong. Apparently the idea was to never do anything
that would hurt the child's self-esteem. Even wrong answers could not be
counted as wrong.
Of
course, no one likes to be corrected, but in the long run, this kind of
approach will be extremely detrimental for the child. A teacher can create an
artificial bubble in a classroom where nothing is ever wrong, but that does not
translate to real life. At some point, the child is going to get slammed up
against the wall of reality. If he is not taught how to deal with it while
still young, he will not know how to handle struggles as an adult, and will not
have the inner discipline to achieve success. There is a certain order in
mathematics that is right, and nothing else will do. That principle is true in
other areas of life as well.
When
I was in college I took Economics 101 and Economics 201. For the life of me I
don't know what possessed me to take those classes, but I did. But guess what.
I had to take 101 before I could take 201. There were two reasons for that.
First, the school required that it be in that order and would not let me sign
up for the second class without my having passed the first one.
But
there was actually a pretty profound rationale which explains the second
reason. The information I needed to understand the economic concepts in the 201
class, was taught in 101. Without that background, 201 would not have made any
sense to me at all.
Success Principle
I
have found that same principle active in other parts of life, as well. For
instance, I have not always been a business owner. For most of my life I have
worked as an employee. Starting my own business has been quite a process for
me. I have discovered that it is not enough to be skilled at the specific work
I do (writing and speaking), I have also had to learn how to run a business
(administration, marketing, etc.).
This
element of the process has been quite a revelation for me. I wanted to go
straight from knowing how to write and speak to having a business as a writer
and speaker, without going through the process of learning all of the parts of
the writing and speaking business. But it doesn't work that way. You can't
simply jump to the highest levels without going through the process of getting
there.
I
don't care if you are talking about business, career, social life,
relationships or whatever. There is a process that must be worked through, and
if you are not willing to do it, you will not become successful.
I
imagine I am not the only one who has struggled to have the patience and
fortitude to endure the learning and growing process. In fact, I imagine you
have dealt with it, too - perhaps even now. You want a particular job, but the
ones doing the hiring don't think you have enough experience. You want that
promotion, but the boss doesn't think you are ready. You want to get that
contract, but the buyer doesn't think you have the skills to do the job. You
want to be friends with someone who is in a different social circle than you
are, but they don't think you will fit in.
Three Steps
If
there is a place in life you want to get to, but there are obstacles that are
keeping you from getting there, the best thing you can do is to take the time
and effort to work yourself up to a higher level. And the only way to make that
happen is to be willing to work your way through the process - by study,
practice and experience. Let's break it down in three easy steps.
The
first step is to figure out where you are falling short. If it is a skill or
technical issue, you can take a class or get more practice. But falling short isn't
always related to your ability. Sometimes it relates to how other people
perceive your ability. In that case, it doesn't matter where you think you are.
You have to take a more objective look to find out where the decision makers
think you are lacking.
The
second step is to figure out what it would take to get past that hurdle. If
there is a possibility to move on, it is possible for you to figure out what is
necessary. Ask people, do research, or whatever else you need to do to get a
lock on the issue. And be realistic. If it is possible and you are willing to
work through the process, you can get it done.
Finally,
put yourself through whatever is necessary to take yourself up to that next
level. And do it with the right attitude. You will go further if you like where
you are at any given time and if you get other people to enjoy working with you.
Understanding
the three steps above really is easy. But that doesn't necessarily translate
into a new reality in your life. Depending on the particular situation, this
may take some time and a lot of energy. It may be just a matter of learning a
few new skills. On the other hand, the skills my not be the issue. In some
situations it might be necessary to remake your personality or your image. But
whatever it takes, it will be worth it in the end when you are able to look
back over your life and know that you were able to do what it took to conquer
the obstacle. At that point, you can count yourself a success.
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