Grades Don't Determine Glory

As children, we are taught from an early age not to tell lies, and yet it's ironic, that the education system itself, is based on lies though. You see, we are raised by our parents and teachers to believe that, in order to obtain success, wealth, and job satisfaction, it's imperative that we have to achieve high grades at school. We are told we have to achieve high grades at primary school so we can advance to high school, then it's even more crucial that we achieve high grades in high school so we can advance to university, and then it's even more crucial again that we obtain a diploma or a degree at university, so we can be accepted into the job of our dreams. All throughout this 15+ year process, our teachers and parents are continually heaping pressure on us to achieve these high grades, otherwise we will only end up spending our life as a failure, in some dead end job. What utter rubbish! We are molded by society like robots, programmed to think like everyone else, and to copy what everyone else does. We have our life planned out for us, and if we dare challenge it, question it, or defy it, we are criticized and shamed. The truth is, there is no set plan for our life, apart from the one we design ourselves. Don't get me wrong here, the job of a teacher is undoubtedly extremely hard and stressful, and they only teach what the government insists children learn, otherwise they wouldn't receive their salary after all. Many are even extremely passionate about what they do, and they thrive on helping and supporting their students to achieve high grades, then ultimately progress to success in life. The simple fact is, your grades don't determine your future success, and no child should be told otherwise.

A couple of positives from striving to achieve high grades in school though, include discipline, focus, and commitment. These are three important traits that truly do assist us entering into adulthood, especially when it comes to achieving our goals, but the problem is the education itself, as we are not exactly taught the things that are most vital for us to live a successful and fulfilling life. We are not being prepared in how to handle and overcome failure. If we fail an exam, subject, or grade, we are made to feel like a failure, we are made to feel inferior, and we are made to feel like we have done wrong. Our parents are informed and then we are punished by being requested to repeat that year over, in order to improve our grades. We are not taught about how to embrace failure, how to understand that failure is part and parcel of working up to success, how failure is a wonderful learning piece that allows us to grow, develop, and mature, and we are certainly not taught how to handle failure mentally or emotionally. We are not taught about resilience, in having the determination to overcome all challenges, setbacks, rejections, and failures, to keep picking ourselves up over and over again, until we achieve the goal we set out to achieve. We are not taught about perseverance, but instead, we are told that if things become too hard or if we continue facing challenges, then we should give up. We are taught about the reproductive system and how to practice safe sex, yet we are not educated about relationships, marriage, family, and raising children, or any of the hard work, dedication, and commitment, that is required to make these successful aspects of our life. We are not taught about decent values and morals, or how to respect and help others. Sure we may learn how to read, write, and learn arithmetic, all of which are extremely important, but most of the other information that is fed into our brain has no bearing on achieving success, greatness, and wealth, in life whatsoever.

What do Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Ellen De Generes, Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Richard Branson, Rihanna, Colonel Harland Sanders, and Lady Ga Ga, all have in common? Yep, you guessed it, they are all college/school dropouts who went on to create massive success, fame, and fortune for themselves. Now not all of us are going to go on and reach such celebrity and wealth status in life, but success isn't defined by our fame or bank account, it is defined by following our heart to achieve the goals we desire. Our success is defined by our character, our attitude, and our traits. We don't need to be an A grade student, and achieve a certificate from completing a university course, to achieve greatness and success. We each have the skill, talent, potential, and ability, to achieve whatever we believe we can achieve. There are undoubtedly some professions that do require qualifications, such as a doctor and a lawyer, but if such professions are your passion, and they are your ultimate goal, then you understand that studying hard and achieving certain grades are what is required. To become a successful entrepreneur however, some of the names I listed above are the perfect proof that grades mean nothing. You don't need to be an exceptional student to become successful. Having said all the above, if you're a teenager or a university student reading this, it doesn't mean you should throw your school papers up in the air, walk out of the classroom and farewell school forever. Any education is still important after all, especially up until completing secondary school, as we need to be constantly learning in life, but it's after we finish school that the real education in life begins. So by all means, work hard, study hard, strive for excellence, and do your best, but never be disheartened, or allow anyone else to dishearten you, if fail to achieve high grades. Find your passion in life, and plan how to achieve the success you desire in life using your passion. Grades don't determine glory, your attitude and endeavor does!

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