Myth #7
"I don't have to like a course to do well."
"This course sucks."
"This professor stinks."
"I'm entitled to my opinion."
"I'd rather have a dental filling than go to this class."
"I'm not learning a damned thing in that class."
"This is THE worst class I have ever taken."
"Why me?"
"I'll write letters to friends to occupy my time in class."
Reality #7
Attitude, not ability, will determine your success in college.
Some people will mightily disagree with me on the notion that you must like
something to do well. OK. That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it!
But my experience in a classroom is that students who have an "attitude"
(a negative disposition) toward either the subject or the teacher do not
perform as well as they should.
I have watched this "attitude" phenomenon for years. In fact, it's so prominent
in required courses that you cannot miss it. The school tells students that
they must take English 101 or COMM 101, and students resent it. It's human
nature to rebel when someone says you must do it. In contrast, I find
that in elective courses students have more of an interest and the results
are dramatically different. They participate more in class, read the assignments,
turn in higher quality materials, talk to the teacher more, and generally
are more fun.
Don't think that intelligence (ability) will substitute for a good attitude,
because it will not. Underline NOT. Being bright is a gift that many
people squander because of a bad attitude. The world is chock full of half-baked
geniuses, potential Olympic athletes, and superstar talents that never made
it. Why? Because attitude, not ability, will determine your success.
Think about your own experiences. How many great potential athletes, students,
workers have you seen come down the pike brimming with the ability-the
aptitude-but whose attitude was impoverished? The results are always the
same: Excuses. "I would have, could have, should have." "That damned coach
hates me." "That instructor doesn't like the way I dress." The list goes
on. You've heard it over and over by those who fail to reach their
altitude…usually because of their attitude.
Survival Tips:
Think like an advertiser. In advertising, the first thing the ad must
do is tell the customers how the product or service will benefit them. Otherwise,
it's nearly impossible to sell anything. Therefore, find the benefit to you
by looking at the syllabus and discovering two or three issues that you find
interesting. Focus on those for starters. Other benefits will follow.
Look for long-term, not short-term, benefits. As you begin to look
for benefits, beware of shortsightedness. Students tend to look for instant
gratification-what's in it for me…right this very second in my life.
This will disappoint you because it's difficult to see how Columbus' rationale
for exploration in 1492 has any direct, right-now impact on your life. Rather
than this myopic stance, take the long view to learning. Ask yourself, "What
can history teach me?" "Will understanding the why's help me understand the
what's?" The answer is absolutely…YES. What you learn in college helps
prepare you to think through important issues and apply them to your daily
life.
Act like a baby-sitter. Pretend that you're counseling a younger brother
or sister about a particular class and you sense a negative attitude. You
want to tell them how important such a course is and why it should be taken
seriously. What advice would you give ? I discovered this approach when I
was about 12 years old and was baby-sitting for our neighbor's kids. One
day I started lecturing the kids about picking up their clothes and putting
toys away. As I did, I began to sound like my own parents. Horrors. When
I got home, I immediately cleaned my own room. My mother nearly fainted.
By giving someone else good, solid advice, you teach yourself.
Remember the Tortoise and the Hare. This is a corny story that you
no doubt have heard since you were a child. But it is right on the money.
The two, as you recall, were in a race. The hare should have won hands down,
no sweat. But he took his talent (aptitude) for granted and underestimated
a competitor with great attitude. Attitude beats aptitude every time.
Avoid making negative comments about the course or the professor.
A philosopher once heard a man speaking poorly about another man in public.
The philosopher stopped the speaker and admonished him not to say such damaging
things about another. The speaker asked the philosopher if he was trying
to protect the man who was subject of the negative comments. "No," said the
philosopher calmly, "I was trying to protect you from yourself." Negative
comments about people can become self-destructive. Take this to the bank.
Making and repeating comments begins to program your thinking for good or
bad. When you start down this negative path it's pretty hard to get back.
I've seen students develop an "attitude" and then try to defend it long after
everyone else has seen that it no longer makes sense. Keep your comments
positive-they foster a positive attitude.
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