Learning is actually a happy thing - The secret of top students' winning study method

Author: Liu Chang / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: It is perfectly reasonable to maintain an open mind toward novel things, as fresh things always evoke our curiosity, just like children who always ask "why" about everything. We do not turn a blind eye to new things. In learning, most of our knowledge keeps pace with the times. Therefore, if you cannot maintain an open attitude toward new things, your learning will be narrow and unpredictable.
I once had a student who was a real headache for me. I had invested a lot in him. Now, let me share some stories that happened between us. He was a clever and lively child. Whenever I praised him, he would always respond with a sweet smile. However, he had a stubborn streak and rarely listened to anyone, even his closest people. The moment he made even a slight progress, he would earn my praise. But if I told him that Newton was born in England, he would rarely believe it! When I suggested, "This solution of yours seems a bit unscientific—there must be other new methods," he would dismiss it with disdain. He had no interest in news or interesting stories. He would think everything you told him was just nonsense. I never denied that his grades were absolutely top-notch, mainly because he used the time that could have been spent on extracurricular knowledge to focus entirely on in-class learning. I was even more reluctant to deny that he lived a very exhausting life. I hoped he could change, though most of what he learned was new. It was clear that during the learning process, he was neither happy nor smooth. He only felt happy for his grades and would suffer when he failed exams.
All I hoped was that he could reshape his learning motivation and not become a puppet in his studies. Eventually, a miracle happened. On the days when he was about to leave university, he told me about the "hardships" he had faced in his studies. Gradually, our views on some things began to align, and I was relieved to see his change.
So, let us not let learning change our mindset, because it is both worthless and foolish. We should always maintain a positive learning attitude. When facing new things, do not worry about how scary or interesting they are, especially when encountering them for the first time. We should believe in their existence and face them with a calm mindset. In other words, we should embrace them more. If they are profound and difficult to understand, at least we will recognize that they are something new we have encountered in our learning and believe that we will not remain strangers to them forever.
Remember, this is a mindset issue, and I never thought that students who score perfectly in exams would necessarily excel in this regard. In fact, many times, I particularly admire those who perform poorly in exams. Although their grades are not as high, they often possess an extraordinary sensitivity in certain aspects. There are many such examples, including some scientists and entrepreneurs. They may not have high academic qualifications or extensive theoretical knowledge, but they do very well. This is because their mindset is open, and they use this mindset to face everything that comes before them with composure.
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