Lately, our man Albert Einstein has been whispering in my ears. So, I thought, “Why don’t I share it with you?”
Here we go.
It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.
—Albert Einstein
🤿 Let's dive deeper
When I was studying A-Level Further Math, I often stumbled upon a concept I couldn't immediately understand. Like most people, I would feel discouraged for not getting it right away. In a cohort with Math gods everywhere, you could see my self-esteem plummeting at
d(self-esteem)/dt = infinity
That’s usually how one becomes afraid of math and even learning in general. Of course, “one” includes me and perhaps you too. Over time, we turn into the kind of person who always says,
I’m not good at math.
Similarly,
I’m not good at remembering names.
In truth, this could be you reinforcing your fear and weakness that — with time — become a part of you. But, what if you ignore it?
👀 Different perspectives = different lives
That was what I did recently. When learning a difficult concept, I tried staying with it longer. Rather than thinking, “I’m not good at math” or “Why pass exams when you can just pass away…”, I tried focusing on finding a solution itself.
As a result, I was able to shout, “Eureka!” and feel like one of those Math gods for a while. Of course, there will be times when you just can’t figure things out. That’s totally fine. What matters are you allowing yourself to give it a go, and move a step away from the "I'm not good at X" belief.
After all,
Cogito, ergo sum.
I think, therefore I am.
—René Descartes