Coach Calling: Students, your scores don't make the world go round. Here's why

Academic achievement is important indeed, but it is not the only measure of success in life
Coach Calling | (Pic: EdexLive)
Coach Calling | (Pic: EdexLive)

Listen up peeps, what I'm about to share with y'all today is a life lesson that I've experienced, and hence can speak of, with the utmost confidence: MARKS aren't everything (academically speaking)! But MARKS are everything when I refer to the metaphorical BATTLE SCARS which are a result of learning things the hard way.

Yes, academic achievement is important indeed, but if it was the only measure of success in life... Forget hundreds of examples that I can give you, yours truly (I) would have never been able to add value to the lives of many like you. Period.

Those scars are looking real good right about now, and I'm freakin proud of them! Why? Simply because I'm gonna be doing my best to ensure that you don't have to get the same scars but still learn. In fact, it is the learning that matters and not the numbers — marks or grades.

An honest disclaimer before I continue
This article is in no way aimed at promoting laziness, procrastination, discontinuing academics, or aiming for failure. It's a guide to those who are constantly made to believe that they are no good just because they're not able to cope or perform well in academics — a guide to understanding how to achieve success amidst that perceived failure.

The two types of us
The first thing that we need to be aware of is how we're built. IMHO (In My Honest Opinion) we're all unique and have our own strengths. But to simplify things, I'd like to categorise individuals into two categories. The First Benchers and the Last Benchers. 

In most cases, as the name suggests, the ones in the front are at the forefront of academic performance and the ones in the last usually lag behind. What I've observed, and I'm sure you all would have too, is this doesn't necessarily dictate the outcome. The last benchers might be late bloomers, but when they do, they bloom like a sunflower in a desert. Get the hint?

Simple, some of us are cut out to learn in a bookish manner and are blessed with an amazing memory to maybe learn things by heart, whereas others follow their heart. Though they might lag academically, they make up for it in passion and street smartness, to a level that makes their marks and academic performance irrelevant. Passion surpasses certification, people!

The next most important thing is to understand that you cannot be defined by a number (marks/grades). You're more than that! But It ain't gonna be easy as you'll definitely face a lot of challenges and a lot of people are gonna give you a hard time about it. All I want you to do is endure this temporary phase, channel that frustration into internal motivation, the fire in your belly, and wait patiently for your efforts to reap the rewards. You might be treated like an outcast now, but ensure that you start building your tribe now, Chief!

Embrace the F word
I'm referring to failure! Remember that it is a part of everyone's life. Trust me! Most of us have this horrible habit of comparing ourselves to others, but what we don't realise is just because someone is successful in an area we're drawing a comparison from doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't failing in another area not visible to us. In short, we're all bound to fail. It's not a taboo and it's high time we break the hypocrisy and embrace it. Also, let me be very clear chaps, failure is a stepping stone to success which is nothing but saying, LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES and realise what works for you.

Don't kid yourself. Grow
Accept your mistakes, seek feedback, use it constructively, learn about your blindside from genuine people around you, accept your shortcomings and finally use all this data to develop a growth mindset. Hope is the fuel of life! Let's just say for the sake of argument, that we're not destined to succeed (This is how we kid ourselves).

Trust yourself
After I failed in my 12th, My parents were "advised" by most of my relatives and family friends to open up a paan shop or an STD booth as I was good for nothing, had no hope, and didn't possess the potential. Well! I trusted myself and ended up counselling the kids of those very people and even saved some of their lives!

With Regards and a lot of hope for you all,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
Your Coach

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