The Hard Truth About Intelligence and Learning

I discuss intelligence, learning, not being smart enough, and how talent can only take you so far. Do you have any thoughts or advice for people? If so, please leave a comment below.
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Thank you:)

[@theeamazingkrabb5358]

I graduated highschool in 1996 with a D average. Math was my worst subhect. I joined the navy in 1999 and spent 10 years there. I went back to college and majored in mathematics in 2009. Today, im a lead electrochemical engineer in the Lithium-ion battery industry. Anything is possible if you work hard enough!

[@oliver2001]

i wonder do you think mathematics is a learnable skill or will some just never get it?

[@theeamazingkrabb5358]

Absolutely a learnable skill by anyone. Just got to put in the work.

[@oliver2001]

@@theeamazingkrabb5358 I think some people believe that you are either good at maths or you’re not;but I think that really a good excuse not to work hard.

[@None-if3mo]

​@@oliver2001 no that is a bad excuse. You will never improve with that kind of mindset

[@oliver2001]

@@None-if3mo no I was just wondering for others.i find mathematics easy and have never really struggled.i was just saying about my peers so I could better motivate them 👍

[@brain_respect_and_freedom]

The Stanford University offered a course online from 2014: "How to learn math for students". They noticed the difference between those who did and those who didn't like math is the experiences they had. Sometimes they thought " we're not fast enough", but when you work with many mathematicians, they are not usually fast math thinkers. They are deep mathematical thinkers.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Marketing is all that matters, though. Without it, even the most intelligent people in ANY subject will remain invisible until their deaths. It is what it is.

[@brain_respect_and_freedom]

@@Novastar.SaberCombat thank you for your insights. While marketing is important, it is not the sole determinant of visibility and success.

[@cottoncandy7847]

Is the course still available? If yes where can i find it?

[@sallerc]

@@cottoncandy7847 Google "Stanford GSE-YEDUC115-S"

[@genroynoisis6980]

it's a problem with how maths is tested in school as a timed, rehearsed thing, facilitating more fast rote learning and less deep and thorough understanding. the former gives more marks, generally. If anyone was a student I know what they'd be prioritising...

[@samuelakwensivie1734]

As a person who aced almost everything in high school, the university really taught me this lesson. I had never failed in my studies as I did in the University. It was a really humbling experience. It has made me appreciate the process of failure more and has helped me improve my work ethic in my quest to become a robotics engineer.

[@bigbluebuttonman1137]

University was difficult for me. Because I had to kick out the notion that this was just like a high school course where I could just pick up an assignment and be done with it in 15 minutes. I knew self-studying was necessary. But I never, truly, internalized this. And no matter the talent, if I spent no time studying for the test...I didn't do well on the test.

[@vijiyanttanaji9800]

whats your plan to become a robotics engineer? i havent done projects currently in my undergrad i was super distracted, so i plan to do a masters in robotics..

[@jackselvia2709]

I had a different experience. I had a perfect "D" average in high school, but college was a breeze.

[@R0Tl]

This comment almost perfectly describes me. Due to my natural intelligence, school always came easy to me and so I was a straight A student until my parents got divorced, which is when I moved to a new place in 8th grade. I can't say for sure why, but I lost interest in school completely after that. I stopped doing the majority of my homework besides the big projects, and I almost never studied. Yet, because of my ability to ace my quizzes and tests without studying at all, my scores on the big projects that I did do, and the multitude of honors and AP classes that I took that give a +1 to the numbers used in the GPA calculation, I still finished high school with like a 3.5 GPA (not impressive, based on what I was capable of, but good enough, considering how little effort I put and all the 0's I got for hw). This did nothing to build my discipline or my work ethic. I went into college with the same lack of care or effort, at the University of Illinois. I can tell you that college was a different experience. It was humbling after I was on the verge of failing out of the school due to not attending more than half my classes and getting numerous C's. I ended up transferring out and taking community college courses for a year and staying at home while my mom worked on building back up my confidence and teaching me about not giving up. Round two at university went much, much better and I graduated a few years later. And yet, I ran into a similar issue when I went into the work force and I had to learn the same lesson all over again smh. I regret having to learn this lesson twice, but I have thoroughly learned it now. Talent alone can cover for a lot and take you pretty high, but without determination and effort, you can easily fall when you're near the top.

[@widepootis]

Personally, uni made me realize how much of a mess I mentally am, in high school and before (though I had the best grades everywhere), I could never understand why some thing clicked instantly and other things didn't, and why I couldn't understand things that didn't click instantly, no matter how hard I tried. The way I understand how I think now, is that I have practically no working memory and ability to visualize things, and these things are absolutely crucial in the process of remembering, understanding and thinking, which means that if something is not easy enough that I can inherently grasp it, then there is no way that I can mentally understand it. However, I can kind of replace my lack of working memory through heavy note-taking, and my lack of mental imagery through physical diagrams and such, making it way longer than for most people to understand things (I have to write and read everything) but at least it works. I would never have understood that if I didn't utterly fail my classes at uni so I'm glad it happened that early in my life.

[@rockpadstudios]

I had the domestic abuse childhood so looking back I had bad PTSD. I didn't do anything in high school, not because I didn't want to but because I was in a daze of confusion. I worked at a small town bakery and watched a guy work the ovens for 30 years for minimum wage and it hit me "I don't want to do this". I was in the lowest 10% of the class and actually met the guy that was on the bottom and he laughed at it. I was in the crab bucket. I went to the school counselor and she told me it didn't look good and no way could I get in to Michigan Tech. One Saturday I got into my beat-up car and drove to the school and walked into the 2 year associate program Dean's office. I introduced myself and told him I didn't want to be in manual labor the rest of my life. He was professional and polite and we talked for a while and I shook his hand and drove home. The following Monday the school counselor called my name over the intercom and I went to her office. She had a smile on her face and asked "so how did you like my husband"? I didn't even put the two names together to be honest. She said he signed a letter that stated if I kept my grades above a C, I would get a special wavier to allow me to enter the 2 year mechanical engineering program and if I kept my grades above a C, I could stay. I never worked so hard in my life but got all A's and B's the first quarter and I was working part time at the bakery. I found that the ASEE major was more interesting so I changed majors, because I worked, it took me 3 years to get my Associated degree. Since I had time, I took the first EE Calculus course because I loved Calculus (it was so amazing to me). Well I got a D and I have to say limits was a tough concept and pictured running over Cauchy with my car. My boss came up to me after I graduated and told me to get an BSEE since he was one. I filled out the application and didn't realize my GPA was 1.9 and whoever got the application went out of their way to write me a long letter chastising me about being so stupid to think I would get into MTU BSEE program with such a low GPA. Well I got into my car and knocked on the Dean's door and told him my situation and he said he couldn't justify letting me in. I got a little more passionate and he smiled and signed a wavier and I was in (he said "I had the right attitude"). The next day my boss came up to me and said he got a call from the Dean - they went to school together and were friends. He patted me on the back and said good job. Working and the EE course work was 10 times more difficult and I never was able to get more than B's and some D's during the holiday months because work was so much more difficult. I finally had a breakdown and had to stop working, I managed to get just enough money to finish my last year just concentrating on school work (I was done with the homework by 5:00 everyday). I studied with a guy and helped him but he always got an A and I got a B and he would laugh because I knew the material better than he did. I studied to learn and I realize now that you also need to study to pass tests (not a bad thing). I had time to take extra courses so I signed up for a course in solid state physics because I wanted to learn more about semiconductors. I was rejected and walked into the teacher’s office and asked if I could sit in and listen, he asked why I just didn't take the course and I told them they rejected the request. He said follow me, and he went in the admin office and when he came out he handed me a signed paper and said “here you’re in my course”. That was the only A I got in the BSEE program. I think because on many levels it was engaging, it was a challenge, and I had a passion for the subject matter. Looking back I think many people are just distracted and/or bored, it’s not that they are stupid. You defiantly have to be able to relax, now when I study it seems so much easier, and the childhood anxiety has passed. Another thing is to try and get as many books on the subject as you can. I found Morris Cline’s calculus book and it has several chapters that are easy to understand verses my other books but I still use Earl Swokowski’s Calculus book since that is what I studied in school. I ended up writing firmware for embedded system’s (using mostly the C Language) and it has been a challenging career that pays well. Some of my firmware is running on medical devices and TV remote controls. Find something you like to do that pays well if you don’t see yourself doing pure research. I would have loved to work in semiconductor research but it just didn’t work out and it's not worth the risk going to far into debt. Writing firmware allowed me the freedom to move on when managers abused their authority, the work got too boring, or the tech would be a dead end in a few years (like Windows CE). Don’t be a camper and stay in the first job you get. My first job was doing EMP testing for the Air Force and I just couldn’t see staying in that job for my entire career even though it was a great first job for me. Keep your job solving skills up to date. I’ve read many resumes from engineers that coasted at companies like Motorola that were stuck when the mass layoffs happened. Just thought I would share my story in case a younger person can benefit from it.

[@Beny123]

I hope other people read this too. Got a child who is wicked smart but isn’t willing to engage /focus . Your dedication is simply inspiring.

[@abirahmed8643]

very cool story, can definitly relate to alot of stuff you mentioned, i think your social skills also played a major role in your academic career :)

[@alphafound3459]

My high school track coach used to say, "hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard."

[@colinfjelsted6970]

Dude yes. I have been that *talented* kid, but in college I hit a brick wall. I had the hardest time getting used to studying hard, but using my discipline I gained from weightlifting, I became a good student. I started to love mathematics again and became confident enough to pursue it. Anyways, thanks for the great content!

[@dapperninji646]

Thought I was dumb. Ended up with having adhd and imposter syndrome. I’m gonna learn everyday.

[@matthewn2559]

Spot on video. Growing up I was always told I was "smart". Coupled with this I figured out the education system rather fast and was able to get honors without a whole lot of determined and diligent work. When a difficult or different concept came along that I didn't understand I avoided it because I still could get honors without working on those difficult concepts. Add to this I was way too much of a linear thinker. When I went to University I got my rear end handed to me. My school chum who had a stellar work ethic completed his degree in engineering and has gone on I am sure to be a multimillionaire. We both had close grades before engineering. I had an entitled view of my abilities when there was no basis for this entitlement. To the parents out there if you want your children to be successful do not inflate their egos by telling them they are smart. At an early age instill habits of discipline and regularity. My parents allowed me to quit as soon as I didn't like things. Primping up your children with undue accolades is much like the foolish grandparent who buys the large slurpee for their already overweight grandchild. This grandparent may be giving what the immature child "wants" but in the end they are on a crash course with diabetes. The same is true by sugaring up your children by stroking their ego and pride with undue praise and commendation - you will give them educational "diabetes". One of my goals in life is to someday retake University year one Calculus and pass it. Thanks to the Math Sorcerer for an excellent video.

[@oliversmith2129]

My parents were the opposite. They always told me that my results were acceptable even when I got a 95 in Math. They were proud behind my back to others. I kept pushing through school, engineering & im now pursuing MBA. I don't know what else to do other than study lol.

[@KevinTempelx]

I was working on my math while listening to this video simultaneously, and I felt compelled to put down my pencil to express my appreciation for these videos. For the first time in the realm of mathematics, I feel like I've found people who resonate with my feelings. It's easy to encounter individuals who either love math and are good at it, or despise math, struggle with it, and wish to avoid it at all costs. However, I believe many here represent a unique intersection of these experiences. We are people who are interested in improving and perhaps admit we are not that proficient yet. It's comforting to discover a place where I feel understood, a place where being less skilled doesn't equate to stupidity or increase the likelihood of giving up. Thank you, professor.

[@ayakhemiri]

exactly what I feel, so thank you for putting this so well into words. I can’t wait to show others my hopefully better results in math, by using the knowledge I discovered from this KZbin channel, but also the commentsection here.

[@meisterman0169]

I used to be a progamer, long story. The jist was it took me years and over 15,000 hours to get on the level of someone who could get to where I was in months. I was always frustrated with my prospects, wonderinng what they had that I didn't. Eventually I learned to make this my strength though. I kept on improving in the thick of it where talent hit a wall and shit got brutal. Resilience and grit was my strength. Ultimately I'm no longer a progamer, now I'm a biochemical engineering student. That time was not wasted though. I took with me that resilience and grit and I still use it as my strength as a student, and it turns out I have quite the aptitude for math. All I've ever really known was how to take a beating, but now I'm doing something different. That lesson was still so valuable, I wish everyone could experience it. I view being able to go where no one else wants to go as my talent, it's a skillset that trumps any other skillset.

[@jay-fm8sc]

Being a programmer really teaches people how to be humble. I feel you

[@DG-kv3qi]

Hi i wanna do the same.Did you do masters in biochemical or you did a bachelor's again?

[@lapatatadelplato6520]

@@jay-fm8sc I think he meant that he was a pro-gamer. And yes, getting really good at a video game is probably a lot harder than writing c++.

[@adamd9166]

I was gifted in most subjects until late high school/early college and then when I couldnt grasp something, i fell apart. Youre so right about discipline beating natural talent. Of course, when one can combine natural talent with dogged determination, thats where the real superstars come from.

[@GwynneM]

I was the super smart kid with no discipline, so the talent didn't really take me very far at all. I'm in my mid-40s now, still smart, but have learned discipline and it makes such a difference in learning, even the things that I was already good at.

[@simonemclellan898]

The experience of hitting a wall is even worse for those of us with natural talent in mathematics as well as ADHD. I was undiagnosed until my late twenties because school came easily and I didn't display any hyperactivity symptoms. It wasn't until I got to complex variables that I was challenged by a math class. Unfortunately, not only was I inexperienced when it came to responding to setbacks in learning, but I also didn't possess the time management skills to respond even if I knew how. Fast forward 25 years and I'm taking abstract 400 level math classes. I got triggered hearing that discipline is what it takes to succeed when the content gets challenging, because I can and do work hard, I'm just horribly inefficient. I watch lectures and I zone out, especially when everything is done abstractly and no concrete examples are provided. I watch youtube videos, but most of them are too dry to hold my interest. I try to read my text, and the information goes in my eyes and out my ears. Of course that's if I even get through more than a page before getting distracted. I take notes, and that helps, but it's tedious and doesn't necessarily help me understand. The only thing that ever really helps me learn math is concrete problem solving with lots of repetition, but it seems like this happens less and less in higher math courses. Has anyone here overcome the double whammy of hitting a wall when things get challenging AND dealing with ADHD symptoms? I'd love some new strategies to try.

[@bg357wg]

Not sure if this would help, but from reading your post I get the feeling that there may be a disconnect between reading/hearing (at face value) vs understanding what you hear (getting to the meaning BEHIND what you see/hear at face value) As someone with ADHD myself, I tend to hyper focus (and also not be able to control how focused I get, sometimes it’s really intense, sometimes not at all) on certain things…and in some school systems we are unfortunately trained to learn and memorize things verbatim, which is although “efficient” when conveying information, limits its usefulness to the receiver after it is conveyed. I suspect that you might be suffering from a similar problem in which your process focuses too much on the “finite” things (such as the exact wording used, or graph, etc), and thus shirk the “translation” to a “language” YOU can understand (even if it doesn’t look like it’s something anybody else can). That’s why we are at the same time told to paraphrase, as it both converts the message to something digestible and usable to you, but also helps imprint it in your mind at a deeper level. I’m sure we already do this to an extent in every scenario, but maybe it’s worth trying to put more weight to that end rather than the “verbatim” part. This might both better appeal to your interest levels & also really stretch out your understanding of a subject if it isn’t fully sinking in. This process isn’t easy, and in my experience can take a lot more time and experiment to develop into a system that works for each individual (heck, I’m still working on it myself). In our case I’m afraid there’s more to it than simply developing and having discipline, as it’s doubly if not even more important to focus in “the right places”. Instead of focusing on the FINITE things, try to think more in the direction about how it “feels like it means” to YOU as a starting point (pardon the lack of a better wording), thus tapping into the infinite permutations of conveying the same message and picking out the ones that feel most intuitive to you (after all, language & math symbols and all that are arbitrary finite constructs that we human beings came up with to relay information). People with ADHD tend to be more controlled by how they feel than by what they think. In a learning process we largely deem to be one that should be at times solely driven by logic, if we can really tap in to using what we “feel” properly in combination with our individual learning process, it might even boost our effectiveness beyond that of people without ADHD. By “feeling”, I’m not just talking about the usual connotation of emotions, but other things that you subjectively experience that words can’t seem to adequately describe. This could be notably the very things distracting you when you are trying to learn and maintain your interest…the lack of interest may indicate that it’s simply pointed elsewhere…and possibly quite sharply. Imagine if we could somehow leverage that sharp interest in something else to really push our progress. Either there’s a way to combine that with what we have to focus on in the moment…or you may just be focusing on the wrong thing (maybe that particular mathematical topic isn’t for you, at least at that point in time…but then if you’re in a school system in which you have to follow the course pace, that is a little less fortunate…which is why I’ve found it so much more rewarding to access all these self-learning resources online right now) This has been my personal experience at least, and I might have gotten a little out there & I’m not sure if this addresses your conundrums, but if anything isn’t clear to you I’m more than happy to try to elaborate

[@bg357wg]

For more specifics regarding ADHD I find that Dr. K at the channel HealthyGamerGG has some really helpful videos explaining the mechanics of ADHD and how to work with/around it

[@agaragar21]

Yeah....Didn't realize that I had ADHD and Working Memory Deficits ,and I couldn't pass an intro to Calculus class , even taking the course 4 times !...... I kept forgetting what I was "solving for" when i was trying to figure out rates of change....was a Physical deficit in my memory !.....its like not being able to see the colour blue. Flunked out of college after that !......now in my fifties, it doesn't bother me, I am who Am !

[@user-jh7fv1sb1l]

I’m self-studying calc 1 right now after hitting a wall years ago in college. Finding a tutor to work with me once a week has been an absolute game-changer. If you have ADHD I cannot recommend it enough.

[@Bullet-Sakamoto]

I'm not smart. I'm a slow learner, but I don't lose because I'll fight till I win🤓

[@DimiqBaba]

I was always the underdog in the discrete math class. I have never had a class where I had to prove stuff, and the skills that required us to break down the problem and prove the statement just weren't there yet. So I failed the class, went through countless other classes where I again had to prove . And finally after some time it just came naturally to me, no matter the course, no matter the problem.

[@kxkxkxkx]

It is shameful and very wrong that so many schools try to teach proofs before anyone has learned anything about formal logic 🤤

[@jay-fm8sc]

This video is brilliant, because it goes beyond the common sense of "if you are not smart enough, just keep trying". Like, I have never realized that not being smart enough means I have experience dealing with frustration - something talented people lack. Great insights here!

[@J-Train]

More excellent content, mate! I love that your channel isn't only about math, but also about the emotional component of learning and motivation. Thank you. :)

[@jessemunoz460]

I love these videos, shorts included, they are so informative and helpful. I am glad I found your channel I found it while taking my differential equations class, a class I struggles in a lot, and your lectures proved to be super helpful to me in understanding some of the material and I passed the class! These videos about learning and any other topic you talk about are all so encouraging. This videos in particular is something I needed to hear because I often feel that I am not smart enough or good enough to keep with my classmates, I am an electrical engineering major, but with your encouraging videos and the other people in my life I have been doing my best, and in my opinion excelling in college even if some of my grades don't reflect that lol. Thank you for doing what you are doing!

[@dantemakoya]

I just got my results for finals. I failed the majority of my modules. It's hard to believe I was a top achiever in my high school. But engineering is just so hard, it introduced me to failure and just keeps pounding me. The hardest thing is having to explain to my mom why I keep failing. Sometimes I want to die so bad, all my peers are ahead in life and I'm still stuck in undergrad. I don't whether to give up, or whether to continue it's a lot!

[@noelb684]

You have to keep on pushing through. Life is full of ups and downs. Don’t compare yourself to others since we all have our own journeys in life. Just give it your all and you will succeed🙏🏾.

[@dantemakoya]

@Pixillious @noelb684 thank you for your kind words, I appreciate you’ll and I'll definitely take your advice ❤️🙂

[@TheThrivingTherapsid]

Pls don't give up

[@tukodev]

Engineering is about sweating, sacrificing every weekend in order to keep on track of subjects, it's about that. But if you put the blood, you'll learn to put the work for what you want. Keep going, seek strength in God and have confidence in your right arm, we are all gonna make it.

[@hansfrankfurter2903]

Depression completely ruined my academic life , and now all my peers are at least a decade ahead of me. You’re not alone, my story is probably alot worse.

[@NorseRonin]

Thank you for the inspiration. That story about your student always being there and putting in effort really touched me as well as your own struggles. You’re doing such a great service and I’ll be sure to spread the message ❤

[@Caffein780]

Thank you, Mr. Wizard...I really needed to hear that. I do appreciate your courage and determination. It has uplifted me and has given me a different outlook to math and science in general. Thank you

[@lanerobotics4466]

This is great advice not just for learning mathematics but the kind of mindset needed to learn and grow in all areas of life. Thank you for the video!

[@Lleruelu]

This is exactly what I needed to hear today. So inspiring, thank you very much

[@fred4859]

I had a very similar experiences like you did with just not getting it while younger. After my time in the service my view on what I could achieve changed. I was able to do things academically I would have never dared to attempt. I think it’s a mix of intelligence , luck, and being able to see it as a possibility. Now I watch math videos for fun..lol. The core of my message is , can you see yourself achieving if even just a little bit ? If you fail , fail better , fail all the way to the finish line if you have to.

[@luischoudhury7111]

Another great video. I think the importance of patience can't be underestimated.... with modern life all being about speed that acts against being patient and taking the time needed.

[@b_mathemagical]

50 seconds into the video and I had to pause. Just want to say thank you for being you and sharing your thoughts with the world. You are without question one of my favorite content creators.

[@jaimepalacios8801]

This video couldn't have come at a better time. Thank you Math Wizard.

[@totomo1976]

What you talk about in this video is super inspiring. I think I'll come back to this video again and again when I'm going through dark times. Proud to be an underdog.

[@p1ngas173]

Not a math person but I love the advice your giving. I do think we all have talents but for different things. But I really do believe where your heart draws you can give you not only the the best fulfilment, but also the greatest lessons. Even if it doesn't work out for you.

[@jonathan.Andrade]

Your videos are trulling inspiring for me. I've entered college last year, with an age of 26 years old. And, being at a public university, I'm struggling a lot with math classes. But I do love math, it is beautiful and I hope someday I can be very goot at it. Thank you for the advices!

[@rosiecesareo8092]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with everyone. These things are really helpful to hear. Your content is some of the best on KZbin, for sure. ❤❤❤

[@nerd26373]

We will always support this channel. We learn so much significant information from all this.

[@Nacho-nacho123]

Thank you for your video and advice! I agree that talent is not the only determining factor of success. What you said resonates really well with me. I am currently a student trying to finish with all my math prerequisites before pursuing physics. 😅 I struggle with schizoaffective disorder and I’m not proficient in algebra yet. I agree that with grit and determination, one can overcome most obstacles. I will do my best. Thank you! 🙏

[@alfredosolari7597]

Thank you for this inspiring talk, sir. I am an English language teacher in Italy. Naturally, I see students of varying capacities and those with different levels of motivation. I agree with what you say about the struggles some of them have to face on a daily basis, and I see the determination they use to overcome them. Equally there are those with quite brilliant minds who can find it unbearably frustrating to meet that ‘wall’ on the ‘obstacle course’ of learning and will all too easily throw in the towel. What a waste of their talent. I am always trying to encourage students not to give up and, of course, I am there for those that are having difficulties but are willing to fight to overcome them. Wishing you a nice day and a successful continuation in your career.

[@joseantoniotorresmartinez7748]

Dear Professor, I find all your videos so inspiring to me. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and views on learning math.

[@marksonson260]

This coincides with my own experience perfectly. I have always had a talent for physics and maths and that carried me through one of the toughest programmes in mathematics. Problem is that my talent gave me straight A's without the need to study before university but could only get me decent grades with sporadic A's after that since I was adamant that I were to figure out the subject of the exam on the fly, hence terminology would limit my success. My talent also made me naive in the sense that I completely disregarded the importance of social skills when it comes to landing the dream job offer. Now, a few years later I have come to understand that all it takes is just a little more effort and I can deliver great work which means that I could have had an excellent academic record. In a way this situation and insight strengthens me greatly since I feel that I could have done so much better and therefor feel the need to perform to prove myself. In a way will is everything.

[@habibabelamine2600]

Thank you so much. I needed to hear this today.

[@canaldogrifonoia1338]

Great lesson! I had this issue with drawing and arts. Last year I started drawing and saw that I was learning drawing easily and progressing very fast. My brother work with arts (concept and illustration) and when he started guiding my studies, my progress just exploded even more. But even with this inclination to learn fast, I hit a bottom when compared with great artists. From there, I saw that it will be needed thousands of hours of discipline and deliberate practice (even with my talent). On the other hand I struggle with programming since the first day I started it. Programming is helping me to deal with the hard part of learning to draw, because since day one I'm used to deal with difficulties.

[@najlepszykrolik]

You are so right about this. I'm a "gifted" learner, but that only gave me the expectation that schooling would always be easy, and I learned the hard way just how much I had neglected my ability to cope with and work through challenging situations. I have very little discipline, and being a 'gifted' learner seems to have hamstrung me in a way.

[@MrMentholSlim]

i was one of those talented not trying hard enough kids when i was a teenager, didnt try that much, took me turning 30 to get my act together and learn those lessons. ty for makin this video.

[@replicaman9215]

I'm not a math enthusiast, but I enjoy your videos. They are usually applicable to other courses of study too. This one made a solid point. Growing up, I was naturally gifted at a handful of subjects, and could muddle my way through the others. Chose not to stray from the things I was good at for a long time. Once the years started passing and I started trying to learn things I was *more* interested in but *not* naturally talented in, it was truly sobering. It's been a hard road, because in addition to whatever new things I've chosen to study, I've had to learn a "meta-skill" alongside it, which is not giving up (which is what I always used to do when something didn't come naturally). It's been humbling, but in the best possible sense.

[@deoarlo]

For many parts of my life I was one of those quote on quote talented kid. I aced exams no problem but today here I am learning the ways of effort. I must say, the number of people that have surpassed me whom I thought was mediocre at best must be counted with more than 2 hands. We really take things for granted when they're easy so I really respect and fear people who are just driven and locked tf in.

[@ermanmustafa]

This speaks volumes to me, thank you very much for all your brilliant video's. They are very motivating.

[@nylen_1142]

As a struggling student in mathematics, I can totally relate. Having unsatisfying grade while working hard is super frustrating. But when I imagine how I improved because of all my efforts, it just gives me more motivation to continue like that and put even more effort. I'm even working math on holidays to get better for my last bachelor year. But I'm affraid to not be able to get good enough for a Ph.D. I wonder if Ph.D. and research (in math particularily) is reserved for talented people only. Thoughts on that? Thanks for this video, that's what I needed to hear.

[@michaelj.933]

Thank for posting this video. You have inspired me so much. I love math, Im not the best but I love to understand and learn more. Except I struggle in a different field of interest, which you helped me go for it. ❤

[@danielfromca]

Wonderful video and insights - thanks for sharing it.

[@mlliarm]

So much truth here. A professor of mine that I look up to said in an interview about his life once, that he had to work harder than the more talented people to get where he got. "A hard working mediocre student will beat a talented person that doesn't work as hard". He managed to explain theoretically a physical phenomenon that now bears his name (along with the name of his PhD thesis advisor). Thank you again. I really love these motivating videos you make. Keep it up.

[@johnjackson1270]

Great video! I could totally relate!!

[@quirk1559]

what a great video wow, lots of golden nuggets i can apply to my current life. Thank you

[@newQns]

I would love to tell my story here (for motivation) in this community, but I dare not share it in public. All I wanna add (naturally) to this is: Even if you are extremely talented / intelligent you can encounter very big failures in life and struggle - for whatever reason. And then 'processed' motivational speaks like yours here are just beautiful for us as social beings. So thank you for feeding my resilience

[@obsideonyx7604]

I'm not sure why since I knew eve you said in this video, but this was really inspiring for some reason. I swear I've heard this countless times... I must be in a critical point in my life. I can sense it.

[@bababoi5815]

the math's wiz cured my depression and break my believe that i can't do anything without talent and give me motivation to put more effort then I realize that I can finally do math's, addmaths, chemistry and physics very well when i keep working hard! I'm very glad that you create this channel and keep doing what you're doing and I hope you get that 1 million sub milestone!

[@matthieujoly]

You have to deal with whatever who you are, that's the point. Once you've understood that, activate the workaround that works with you (and believe me, it can take time!). This is your "job", your right, your time, your needs. No one can do it but you. I've explained that to my kids, and provide whatever is required / possible to their need, still, they have to do. I've got a t-shirt that I've used to put at my job :"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you". And that's the point. We're not all good at explaining, and that's why what you are doing here is important. Thanks again.

[@johnw.peterson4311]

“ Nine times out of ten, dogged persistence WILL win over natural talent.” Gen. Sams USAF approx. yr. 1982. Having read this quote has rallied my efforts over and over throughout the years.

[@alvarobarbis5257]

I personaly think that i am that guy who end all the test first in almost every class i have in highschool, and all my grades are very very good, but some day i start to learn pre calc by my own and i completely failed. When i watch this video for the first time i start to work in my discipline and my capacity to accept failure. Now i'm trying to aced it. Thanks you dear math Sorcerer.

[@surrealistidealist]

Our long-term development is ultimately a gamble. We never know if we've already unlocked all of our genetic potential or if the best is still yet to come. Plus we usually experience lots of ups and downs instead of any straightforward linear pathway to progress, so don't mistake that as a reason to get discouraged. On top of that, it's really hard to tell exactly where natural ability ends and where hard work begins. Whether we're talking about brains or muscle, a person's genes generally give a broad range of potential. So never stop trying to become the best version of yourself.

[@Gamez4eveR]

i was one of those talanted students, currently in my late 20s, I'm trying to learn a disciplined way of studying, life has humbled me many times in the way you describe in this video. It gets to the point where I'm uncertain whether I'm even able to learn anything at all, but I am slowly improving by relearning basic concepts before chewing through more serious textbooks.

[@paulster185]

Thanks for making videos :)

[@TheMathSorcerer]

My pleasure!

[@alessandroporfirio1910]

Thank you for this video!

[@Ghulatz]

Always start with the big picture. It will connect you to realities you probably have always known and experienced. This approach will give you the initial light and will power to keep you going. A very Brilliant Math Prof told us that. It has worked for most of us.

[@rito_ghosh]

I can confirm what he says as I have first-hand experience of this. I have been marked as "gifted", "talented", etc. from my childhood, and things came really easy to me. I had the worst work-ethic. I studied for some hours outside class for tests and would ace those tests- scoring much better than people who worked for weeks. This gave me a lot of confidence and I never learned to work really hard for tests. I was hit hard in college. Because, although I'd score the highests in quizzes, and would 'get' things faster than anyone else, I would bomb the final tests and other people got much ahead of me. I have a tested IQ of , and yet there are many people who are earning more money than me, and are more prosperous than me in life. Because they had good work ethics. One thing I learned in a hard way: you have to work really hard on things to get ahead in life- even if you don't like those things. You cannot be choosy. If you like Calculus, and not Complex Analysis- you need to study both anyway to get good grades, and good grades will help you land better higher-ed opportunities. So, learn from me: BEING REALLY SMART WON'T MAKE YOU AUTOMATICALLY SUCCESSFUL. You have to work really hard, and work hard on things that you don't even like. That's life.

[@hemrajue3434]

I like that you give some real life examples. Some people are naturally gifted,they reach their goals without much effort. Of course we are intelligent,talented but lack patience and discipline, resulting in failure.

[@douglasstrother6584]

Success = Talent * Effort^Focus This applies to learning Math, Physics, etc., just as it applies to learning to play music, a sport or learning a foreign language.

[@patriciagreen2365]

Talent + self-disciple + dedication = being a successful learner.

[@MacallamCleary]

Thanks, I needed this.

[@azena.]

I was very talented when I was younger. I aced the tests, I was the "smart kid" in the family, stuff came to me naturally. By A-Levels I was having to resit every exam I had taken in secret to avoid disappointing my parents, and after I somehow got into uni (only just) I coasted the first year and completely tanked the rest of it. I had undiagnosed ADHD, and I was deep in the fixed mindset of never being able to do something the moment that I struggled. This lack of genuine challenge when I was younger, and this lack of recognising the signs of my undiagnosed ADHD because I wasn't a nuisance in the classroom has absolutely set my life back from what it could have been. It's important that I recognise this, not to live in the victim mindset, but so that I can make sure I'm engaging my daughter enough, challenging her enough whilst keeping everything fun, encouraging her to enjoy the struggle by struggling alongside her and showing how much I now enjoy the struggle. It's hard to not mourn the life I could have had, I think that's an inevitable human reaction, but I'm keeping mindful that at least I now know, and I now know how to actively struggle and how to keep trying and push through. I work with myself and I'm kind to myself now, I feel encouraged by myself when I struggle because I know that there's something fascinating for me to discover. This is night and day compared to where I used to be, where every struggle was a shot against my core image, my self worth, my self confidence. Every struggle was proof that I wasn't good enough anymore. I'm glad to have figured this out, and I'm glad to be able to pass on my experiences and journey to my daughter so that she can enjoy the frustration of uncovering the unknown. Now, I'm looking to do a masters in Physics so that I can then go and become a qualified teacher, I'm nervous, and I've not signed up to the course just yet, but I'm proving to myself that I can learn very difficult concepts and retain them, and I'm building my confidence that I'll be able to tackle the challenge.

[@tanishqthapa2887]

One of the reasons I watch your vids is your low editing style. No ear blasting intros, just straight to the point

[@TheMathSorcerer]

thank you:)

[@chicago701]

In school, math has always been something difficult for me. Now I do it as a hobby. With every problem I solve, I become smarter, more determined. Sorry for my poor English, it's not my mother tongue. The Math Sorcerer - you're really the best👍

[@Zendogg702]

Good discussion. Definitely helpful. Perspective is important. View. Vision. Focus. 👍🏽 thanx.

[@AceOfHearts001]

This video covers a "gap in the market", thanks so much.

[@mpmcd81]

Math isn’t easy, but it is deeply rewarding. It takes some willingness to stick with things until they make sense. Well put.

[@xaviergonzalez5828]

Thank you Sir! Hard work beats talent always!

[@TheMathSorcerer]

🔥

[@filipeemannuel1147]

Thank you soo much professor, i needed this vídeo.

[@TheMathSorcerer]

You are very welcome!

[@wellesradio]

Push yourself “to failure” as they say when lifting weights. This applies DOUBLY if you think you’re talented or really good. Don’t be satisfied to get an A if it comes easy to you. If it comes easy to you, go into the deeper end until it’s not so easy. A helpful exercise: find someone who thinks they are bad at what you’re good at but who genuinely wants to succeed. Tutor them. Try to instill them with confidence and help them succeed. Consider their success your success and their failure you’re failure. I guarantee you will think about your subject in a whole new way and you will learn how to deal with setbacks and failures and really appreciate your successes. Then take a student who is not so enthusiastic and try with them.

[@yaphetyohannes5960]

thanks you'r always helping keep it up

[@83jbbentley]

Never give up, never, ever give up - Jimmy V -

[@Nightking605]

Quite inspiring 👍🏽😎👍🏽 Keep it up!

[@jrussino]

Thank you for this.

[@M.-.D]

This is a message most people need to hear.

[@patriciagreen2365]

I agree 100%!!

[@ChristCrucifiedforyou]

I'm thankful for your videos

[@edgarperez8949]

I have always been relatively talented in academic stuff, but I've learned that talent will only take you so far. When I went to college I enrolled in some really hard classes, I felt lost and ended up quitting. I was used to things being easy.. Talented people don't have it all, you may be talented but lack communication skills, teaching skills, organization skills, note writing skills, studying skills, social skills, a strong work ethic, etc.. watching this video reminded me of many of the shortcomings that as a relatively "talented" guy I should be trying to improve

[@user-oi5hu2tn3x]

I graduated high school with a 2.1 GPA and failed algebra 2 TWICE before passing with a 70. Ten years later, I’ve placed highest in my college algebra class in overall grade and scored the highest in the last two midterms. When I entered the class, I had a 7th grade level of mathematical skill. And that’s being quite generous. I actually scored a 53 in the first exam and seriously considered dropping the class. Later that week, I stumbled onto this channel, and I’ve been an avid watcher as well as grinding for 3+ hours daily (squeezing study time whenever I can, as work and am married). It’s possible, y’all. Never give up.

[@videolife101]

Great video. Very good points. Never saw "Rudy," but always thought of "Gattaca" with Ethan Hawke on that same inspirational level. Gattaca is about a man with genetic flaws living in a world where people are genetically engineered and given advantages. He has to break some of the rules in that society in order to have the opportunity to accomplish his dream.

[@vigil3273]

I'm not learning math and not a student anymore, but start to learning programming several day ago and youtube recommended your video. So, thnx for your thoughts, really inspiring. Learning almost always be challenging for me. Really thought of myself stupid many times. In the scholl I can't even understand the basics like geomethrical square or perimetr. Sometimes I was even thought that may be I have some form of dyslexia, cause sometimes I can't understand abstractions or some formulas, concepts, etc. It was always some struggle in all this. Anyway, thnx for inspiration and very good content. Subscribed) After some time I will start to "relearn" all about basic mathematics and more for programming purposes) Hope, I can understand all this time) Good luck with channel! p.s. sorry for bad english

[@simeonbanner6204]

I knew this guy in Stourbridge, England. He was kind of a goth, very social awkward, with quite poor articulation. He turned out to be studying pure maths I think. To look at him you wouldn't have believed it. I guess we get different talents. The problem is that society rewards certain talents more than others which then puts pressure on kids at school. You might be a great musician but you aren't still going to need maths for university so the pressure builds and then of course you can't learn as you are under stress.

[@shutupimlearning]

this video reminds me of my experience with real analysis. I did really well in my calculus 1 class last year ( i found it easy since it was a review of older material) so i enrolled to this Advanced Calculus class which was basically introductory real analysis, long story short I was NOT READY for analysis at all. I was quite frustrated because I used to throw all-nighters and watch as many KZbin videos (yours included) on how to prove a limit for a quadratic expression.... But i couldnt for the life of me click the pieces together... I remember getting 30% 40% for my homework even though I had the right answer because analysis is all about the working out to the answer, id constantly think to myself "what the hell do these tutors want me to write because im so confused!" it was like I was in a different world. Needless to say i dropped out of my advanced calculus class and then enrolled in real analysis earlier this year (because now I HAD to pass it to meet further subject requirements, it was not an accelerated class like before). I was sooo nervous because my prior experience in analysis made me afraid of the class. It's funny because even in my real analysis class i felt like I was always so behind everyone else and that I didnt *really* understand the concepts. I would always get corrected by other classmates in group discussions, there were times when instructors would look at me quizzically when I asked questions in class and my heart sank... I felt like I would actually fail the course... I would spend half my week studying real analysis , neglecting my other subjects, but it felt like i was going to fall it.... Yet for some reason, time and time again.... I was getting good grades. It was such a system shock to me to feel so behind compared to everyone else yet ace my homework, its as if orally I was a novice but mentally i was adept in real analysis. Anyways the biggest shock was when I took the final exam and..... it felt easy... just as if not more then my calculus 1 class... I honestly think it was time, I was exposed to elementary analysis for 3-4 weeks in my adv calculus class before i dropped out and my brain had 4 months to subconsciously think about what I learnt. I certainly did not study analysis between then since I was scared of it so it must have been doing some sort of background work. I think I learnt my greatest lesson so far from failure and trying again that day in the exam hall. Sometimes the best way to learn is to take a break from learning.

[@alexandermontalvo6275]

Necesitaba escuchar esto, Gracias!

[@SeviersKain]

Now, when I look back at the content I was learning, I could sense the true beauty of it, guess I'm ready to learn it with my heart once again... to embrace the truth with scintillating super intelligence.

[@bigbluebuttonman1137]

Ah...College Physics... This is when I learned that a science class and a math class are not the same thing just because math is involved in both. There were so few people by the end of it. I guess it was a wake up call for a lot of other people too, maybe even in that very particular regard. Funny thing is I remember a lot of stuff from that class; forces, friction, how they interact. It really did give me a better understanding of the Physics of the world.

[@joshmastiff1128]

For all the great perspectives I've gained and to see your genuine care for ordinary people, I'm embarassed to say that the mention of Rudy made my mind immediately wander to Rudy Ayoub...

[@sallerc]

Inspiring, thank you. Many people need to hear this.

[@BryWMac]

I'm interested in a very quantitative and competitive field and returned to school for mathematics. I spent an embarrassing amount of time today looking at reddit posts on r/cognitivetesting and the like, articles from Nassim Taleb, Slate Star Codex, clips from Jordan Peterson, etc on IQ and potential success , and I think your video is what I needed. It's such a waste of time and quite sabotaging. Thank you for this.

[@shanilkumar1296]

Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@nrm2461]

Thank you I really appreciate this video

[@budiman2064]

Man you have no idea how impactful your video is

[@carlhearn108]

The Sorcerer is casting a generous spell of truth and inspiration. As a law student, I am thankful for his messages. His principles apply to all disciplines.

[@_Akhilleus_]

This makes sense, when I was younger, I always had this impression that some things were easier to me than to the others, and I usually received these sorts of compliments about me being smart or even a "genius". But nowadays I feel that some of these people now are much better than me on everything, they are smarter, they are more disciplined, and have more experience and knowledge than me, and I don't feel like a "genius" anymore and I still struggle alot to study and have discipline and I really remember I didn't need so much of that in the past, but it's not that I was becoming less smart, it's more like everybody else evolved more than me.

[@dogle367]

Up until after taking differential equations, I was smart enough that I could wait until three days before the exam to do all the homework/review work and do great. That said, it was uniformly a hellish nightmare of stress and burnout that I would not wish on anyone. Talent really only takes you as far as you're willing to work.

[@boondockbluesaint5989]

Fantastic video!

[@cellosong]

I have seen this dynamic in the music world. I was naturally talented on the cello. I stood out in college in this way. I had fellow students who were less talented, but they were disciplined. I graduated and came back a couple years later to say hi to my fellow students and I was surprised to see that they had become awesome cellists! Their hard work paid off.