Keep your books open

I used to be a student that believed effort and intelligence and talent were fixed. I was caught up a lot in comparison between high performers and myself, who I deemed to be a low performer.
And then?
I started incrementally adding to my time on task, which in a study context was the amount of time I had the text book open and my eyes upon the pages.
When I’d walk to the bus stop, I’d walk with a book in my hand.
On the bus?
Book in hand.
Walking into college?
Book in hand.
Why the original self limiting view?
Part of this was believing a limiting label from a teacher who point blank told me if I work really hard I could maybe pass.
Long story short, I passed on the pass and wanted more from an educational system and teachers so went to find it.
I shifted colleges and justed started leaning in and refused any longer to view my potential as either fixed or limited.
The explanation for what I was capable of could not possibly be defined by another alone.
“People who make permanent and universal explanations for their troubles tend to collapse under pressure, both for a long time and across situations.” ~ Martin Seligman
You don’t need to view your limitations as fixed nor permanent, but rather changeable and temporary.
If that means carrying the ‘textbook’ with you wherever you go always a ready to learn…good!
What’s your ‘textbook’ right now?
With Arete,
Sean
P.s. keep the books open for learning.