Who Is the Best Student?

For years I felt “less than” my peers because I struggled more in school than they did.

So annoying.
WTF is wrong with me?

This type of thinking is poison.
It’s kind of like idolizing celebrities.

Once you get to know them, the magic disappears because you realize their lives are more screwed up than yours.

I used to think the student in the class with the best grades was the best student. Nope.

The student who is the best at learning (and implementing what they learn) is the best student. Period.

Once you accept this as fact, it’s empowering.
Your starting point no longer matters.
Only your dedication to improve.

Did you know that the founders of Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Oracle, Dell, Uber, and Whole Foods all dropped out of school before getting their diplomas?

Maybe they realized that school wasn’t about getting the stamp of approval or a certification so someone might hire them, but rather the best part about school is helping them learn how to learn, so they could implement their new knowledge, and create their own company, that hires others.

I felt trapped at college. I wanted out. But I felt I needed to stay for the certificate of approval when I graduated.

Most of my fellow classmates celebrated graduation and were proud of what they achieved.
Too many of them were disappointed by the lack of opportunities that certificate provided to them.

At my graduation I didn’t feel proud. I just felt relieved to take off the shackles of formal education.

I passed up some great opportunities in my late teens and early twenties because those opportunities meant stepping off the career path that everyone has laid out for you since elementary school.

Go to school. Work hard. Get good grades. Go to college. Get a good a job.

This is what everyone tells you to do.
I think this mantra needs some updating.

I’m not saying school is not important. Of course it is, but our programmed notation of what it’s supposed to do for us is skewed.

Grades don’t matter. Dedication to learning is what matters.

The one commonality of the most successful people I know is that they didn’t stop learning after they finished school.

They purposely kept growing and expanding their knowledge.
Didn’t matter what their starting point was.
They kept learning and applying the knowledge in their work and life.

I sucked at school.
But I feel I’m crushing life because I choose to keep learning and implementing.

Your starting point doesn’t matter.
Anyone can be the best student, if they choose to be.

Maybe we should study together…

Cheers,

Mike Turner