The problem isn't the kids. It's not even what they can achieve. The problem is what you expect them to achieve. You are setting the bar here. Why? Set it up here! They can make it.
– You know she's starting MIT as a Junior? How do you even do that?
– She's a genius.
– Real question is how'd you get into UC Davis?
– How did you get into George Washington?
– I don't know. Your dad. The big FBI pops made a call to the little pre-FBI program.
When you're learning, what you want to do is study something. Study it hard by focusing intently. Then take a break or at least change your focus to something different for awhile. During this time of seeming relaxation, your brain's diffuse mode has a chance to work away in the background and help you out with your conceptual understanding. Your, your neural mortar in some sense has a chance to dry. If you don't do this, if instead, you learn by cramming, your knowledge base will look more like this, all in a jumble with everything confused, a poor foundation.
That success isn't necessarily come by being smart. I know a lot of smart people who are not successful. But I know a lot of people, who are very, very passionate.
And persistent. A lot of success in life is that passion and persistence, of really staying the course, staying working on it, and, not letting go. Not giving up. That's really, I think the most important, quality that I see in students, that I work with, who are successful.
No one hits the bull's eye with the first arrow.
I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds, but our hearts and souls.
— Will they give you some money for being laid off and all?
— I don't know what the compensation scheme is for when you throw a guy out of a window, Ma. Guess I should have looked into that beforehand. Let me Google that.
— A couple of grand, maybe? You been there three years. Not counting the five years at the academy. Six... if you count the year you were held back.