If you’re a loser, the only way is up. You’re destined for greatness. If you’re not used to winning easily, if good grades didn’t come easily to you, there’s no need to worry. Count your blessings. Why? Because if things come easily, you never build the stamina to stick with anything. I have a terrible memory. I’ve stated this before. When school required memorizing, I would go home and write things out, over and over. I learn by doing, by touching, by experimenting. If I put something together with my hands once, I can do it again fairly easily. If you give me set of instructions to memorize, I’m in HUGE trouble.

In 7th grade, the teacher told us to memorize and recite the Gettysburg address. It was our test and my impending doom. I worked on it and read it over and over. I’m sure my mom had it memorized just from listening to me. The week of the test, I gave up. I had worked on memorizing this speech for 2 weeks and was only halfway through. After asking the teacher how much it would affect my grade, I made a rational decision. I had a good grade in that class. I was studious and did my homework on time so that in all the other aspects I did what was important. This one assignment wasn’t going to flunk me. I eased off the pressure and recited the speech as well as I could, knowing I would get an awful grade. I hate beating dead horses.

People around me are always surprised that I don’t have a good memory. They think I do. They don’t see behind the scenes. I adapt. I use reminders. I trick myself into remembering using plays on words or rhymes. The benefit of knowing early in life what your weaknesses are, means you can decide what really matters to you. If it’s important, you won’t rely totally on your weakest link. Be rational about it. Use what you are good at and keep on going.

Related articles

• When Memorization Gets in the Way of Learning (theatlantic.com)
• Around the world in memorable speeches (telegraph.co.uk)
• Why Memorization Is Worthless In Math (synergytutoring.wordpress.com)
• World-Losers and World-Forsakers (makingchikensalad.wordpress.com)
• The Queen’s Speech (maryalicekaiulanimilham.wordpress.com)
• Speech Fest 2013. WeSpeak: Write it Up, Talk it Out! (princezflor.wordpress.com)