Why the best students are NOT the most successful

[@TinaHuang1]

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[@MathTutorVideos]

Why can't your heart take heavy metal music?

[@masegotshabalalala2637]

Hello I like the creative side of coding/computer science how do i get started because i like the visual side of it. enjoy your day.

[@norbertk.5328]

I bet Tina is an Atheist. Am I right?

[@bri1085]

That Churchill example was atrocious. He didn't hate Gandhi just for his ideas, he was what you call a racist, on top of being an Imperialist. Nor was him not liking Hitler something unique, there were several assassination attempts on the guy through the years. And finally he wasn't a good leader either, being given the boot pretty much as soon as British people had a say on him. Churchill isn't someone who should be looked on favourably

[@AlexTheAnalyst]

I was a pretty good student in high school, but pretty average in college. Apparently you need to "study" and "go to class" more in college.

[@TinaHuang1]

LOL I stopped going to class in college because I would just fall asleep anyway :x I used to put down a recorder and just record the lecture and 3x listen to it later

[@sin7wu]

Holy SHIET it's ALEX! I watch all his videos on Data Analyst!

[@dagoose9570]

lmao

[@qjtvaddict]

American education is well known for its mediocrity

[@kingraplhmativo5178]

I'm the exact opposite of you.

[@GhostCatFromHell]

I was one of the best students in high school, but I never really learned how to study, because everything was easy for me at that time... In college, not knowing how to study and having a pretty severe depression, even putting all the effort I could, I was an average (and sometimes bellow average) student. But even knowing that I had an illness, I blamed myself a lot... I felt guilty and stupid because I wasn't doing well... My classmates would make everything worse... Today I work at a big company as a software engineer and my coworkers always compliment my work. I'm doing better now and have the confidence to go after what I want

[@paolaanimator]

That's amazing! Congrats on being a Software Engineer.

[@shrunotijoshi6371]

How can I improve on this though

[@GhostCatFromHell]

@@shrunotijoshi6371 I think I don't understand your question

[@diana19812]

Thank you for sharing! Gave me more hope that it can be more positive for me in future :)

[@mrk.8448]

you’re what i’m trying to be

[@david_junior]

07:56 That quote doesn't end there. “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

[@joshval6745]

Why not be a master of all. Plus i call those people smart, not intelligent or knowledgeable. You might be right about oftentimes better than a master of one, but maybe at getting jobs, starting a business, persuading clients and investors, etc. But as a doctor or lawyer, I wish the client..... Vaya con dios

[@hymph7357]

@@joshval6745 a lot of people would be a master of all if it were that easy lmaoo. reality is it takes time and effort and it just isn't physically possible to *be* a master of all. you can try your damn hardest coming close but that just won't be good for you mental health. in addition, jack of all trades types are usually the type of people to get bored easily or stop learning once things start getting hard lmao

[@cabbage2329]

@@joshval6745 Try to name as many skills as you possibly can and tell me if it would be reasonable to put in the time and effort to be considered an expert in every single one of them.

[@joshval6745]

@@hymph7357 yes I understand, that those type of person that did work towards that takes lot of time. I'm just suggesting another alternatives to the master of one and Jack of trades. Being a master doesn't mean being the top too, but it's a showcase of discipline as well as talent to me, if that type of person exist. Mental health is after all also one's ability to master, which is why those that continue on when it's hard, reap the rewards far well than those who stop in my opinion.

[@joshval6745]

@@cabbage2329 well I cannot really name anything because most of my skills are just related to studying, and I guess all of them are well worth to put time into. I just do if I feel like it and do not think about whether it is worth my time or not. Rather than trying to focus on what you can or cannot do, I'll just do my best, and my best is to hope to master all of them when given the opportunity. In reality, I don't think you will really segregate your time as to : "I will spend 20min on activity A and 1 hour on activity B" and so on. You also would not be thinking to yourself : "I will just read chapter 1,2,8 and 17 of this book, skip the rest since they are less likely to be out in the examination." Unless you did not study consistently. These lines of thoughts should not even exist if you are to put your effort and time into it, regardless the outcome. But since procrastination and depression happens, which is also the lack of discipline and lack of mental training, people should just choose their jack of trades as they see fit to survive. My very meaning go master of all, is not really whatever you can think of , you master it. It is whatever given time you have, on whatever you have started and liked, how far have you gone to explore it. Being a master is also relative to every person, and we only have so limited time to absorb everything into our mind, just as being the jack of trades, the trades are in limited numbers too. So by that handful you had interacted and liked, how much had you mastered to be call your own master of all, in your own stead.

[@yevgenia7785]

I’ve also noticed that school education is too far from real life. For example, even when we do equations on math classes, we don’t consider real life problems. And later many good students that are used to using this theory at school, find themselves not being able to apply it to real life. Because they weren’t trained to. So I think that it’s really important to study having real problems in mind.

[@paolaanimator]

Yeah, I always noticed that in schools even when I got good grades. I wanted to learn finances or helpful real life skills but they never taught that in school and it bothered me. Now that I am done with high school and college, I am grateful for access to the internet, so many free resources and I've been teaching myself about finances, how to invest, save up, how to build credit, etc. The only thing I learned in school is that good grades just means attending class, passing in completed work on time (no late work), study for tests and I always got a solid A or B.

[@quanphu6788]

if it is actually like what you say, then what do you think NASA engineers did to launch the rockets? How is chip manufacturing done? How is the phone you use everyday created?...You absolutely know nothing at all, in fact people like you just love to criticize anything whenever they deal with something difficult. You undersestimate math so much but trust me, the things around you wouldn't have been created if there wasn't math. Alright ignorant person?

[@nobivy3524]

As someone once said, "You might not use it, but the smart kids probably will." >hence general education's problem on pushing 'well roundedness' whereas success in the real world is more based on ones (few) yet most competent strengths and not being perfect at everything.

[@pourtheraisins]

agreed, the closest thing they get to "real life problems" are just word problems the average person would never do and i wish that would change

[@anitachandra2030]

The education system really need to change.

[@awkwardmochi16]

I literally felt called out with that title 😂 I've been at the top of my classes all throughout my life: elementary, high school, college, literally all my life. I'm a recent graduate, have a really decent job, but I have these kind of void. I see many people from my school and college days killing it at amazing jobs, living life at the fullest, and now I feel really behind them. Perhaps the worst is that I'd tied so closely my identity with the good student label, always the youngest that could kill it all, but now that I can't have that title anymore and don't have that academic validation... well, it hits hard.

[@Keirosqeen]

Maybe those people are not really living happily as they seem like. Maybe you should introduce yourself into a new hobby like a snowboarding, skateboarding, a tennis, photography, drawing or a chess, anything, that is not related to your job but it either trains your body or your brain or both. Now you are like 100% more interesting person now.

[@stxllr4687]

As a high schooler, I completely feel you. When you define yourself by a title of ‘the smart one’ to equate with your worth and your identity, when eventually lose it in the end, it feels completely hopeless. In the worst case, you feel completely useless.

[@sarahfox3652]

I feel this way 100% I've always joked that if I could afford to stay in school forever that I would lol. I felt rly lost when I finished my 1st degree tbh, so I ended up getting a 2nd one & postponing that real world stuff a bit longer :D

[@SaleemRanaAuthor]

You're not alone, friend.

[@meghanmcclain2958]

I relate to this so much. I graduated from college, struggled to find a job. And once you start working a 9-5, everything in life suddenly starts to feel meaningless. I am currently trying to seem like a more marketable employee by learning programming. I’m about to pursue a masters in CS degree but it’s so expensive & im not sure if I’m super passionate about it. I just need to have a real job

[@blairmatarlo6562]

More studies on the relationship between academics and success really need to factor in socioeconomic factors. We all know it has a great effect, but it's disappointing that studies never seem to take it as a variable.

[@CrisTryingToBeProductive]

Agreed, some people do a huge effort to get education, with everything against them.

[@Essfffssfff]

these probably were the ones with adhd who thrived as soon as they didn't have to follow the system anymore.

[@marafortune3713]

I think there should actually be a great amount of research on this topic in the field of sociology. Bourdieu with his "cultural capital" has greatly shaped the academic landscape

[@TLOH7]

Students with good grades demonstrate how good they are doing their homework and assignments, most of these same good students with good grades don't think outside the box, they stick to a system and follow the rules from A to Z. Companies love these kind of employees! On the other hand, you have students with bad grades, but not because they're stupid or dumb, but because most of them think differently, they feel they don't "belong" where they are...or anywhere, they have problem fitting, yet they're visionary. Conclusion: Don't judge a person by their grades, if they graduated or not, etc...

[@andreialcaza]

True

[@Danielbxt]

I am the second kind of person.I hate having all these ideas in my head not knowing what should I do first and how

[@adaalonso]

I am a student with good grades, but I am not an obedient dog of the educational system. You also have to see the point of view to be practical. The educational system from a young age puts you a series of obstacles, studying, interacting with people in your class... And only the most savvy are capable of adapting. The real world works like this, if you are not able to adapt to society, society will not do anything to adapt to you. Law of survival. The species that best adapts to the environment survives. I speak too coldly, but in a way that is my point of view. They should change the educational system, of course. But while I'm studying, I'd rather fight to get ahead with my studies, rather than waste my time not studying and lazing around just being rebellious. It's one thing for someone to have difficulty studying, and another thing is for someone who doesn't study because they don't want to. Now I am in the university, and I have realized that the professors explain nothing to me. You pretty much have to learn everything on your own. Being self-taught and looking for life to organize yourself. I have always managed to get ahead this way. I am not being anyone's lapdog, I am fighting to survive the university system to be able to get the title that allows me to work as what I want. With all this said, I have never looked down on or judged anyone for their grades. I don't think someone with bad grades is stupid. But I also don't think someone with good grades is an obedient slave to future employers. I just don't want to waste my time. Sometimes I don't agree with something but I have to do it anyway, because you can't always please everyone.

[@kathrinlindern2697]

"Most" of the students with bad grades are not geniuses that think outside of the box. If you plot a graph for the average success by GPA, it will be an overwhelmingly positive correlation. Out of 100 A-students, 80 to 90 will probably end up with good jobs, while far fewer D-students will achieve the same, with statistically less than. And even then, most really successful entrepreneurs were at least moderately good at school, or really good at select subjects. The vast majority of bad students are not visionaries, they are actually just unmotivated or less intelligent. The outliers are just "seen" more.

[@xRavioge]

this is such a bullshit claim

[@toddboothbee1361]

In elementary I was considered gifted, but prone to daydreaming and doing projects on my own. In junior high and high school, everything was just about me becoming too self-conscious: I was a mediocre, bored, nervous student. In college, I was the top in my two fields, average in everything else. By the end of college, I became focused on one field of study. In graduate school, I was the best in my cohort. Some of the best people in my field used some of my work and taught it to their students. Mentors, professors, etc. were looking forward to my future. After graduation, I returned home to take care of my ill father, who, after five years, died. The year after, a large tree fell on the house. Pandemic times arrived after that. Poverty. My nervousness returned. I think the narratives we give our lives are tenuous and require editing and forced matching. If there's an overall pattern in my life, it is that I seek corners and shadows where I can perform my solitary studies.

[@jinwoo78]

Find a niche that lets you do that.

[@lored6811]

I just graduated my German Highschool, I really hated everything about school, I didn't fit in with the smart people who took school seriously, half-assed every exam and homework, I just didn't think having good grades is desirable because I associated it with all the annoying and close-minded traits of those people who went after them. In classes I didn't think were useful I accepted getting Es and Fs. But now in my senior years I ironically became one of the good grades people, left with a gpa higher than 4.0 (Converted from German A-Levels 0.83), just because my interests proved to be quite useful in the classes I took. So that opinion changed a bit, I don't think you can causally relate having good grades with being mediocre in society later on. It is way more complicated than to be generalized like that. Yes you see all the successful people dropping out of college, being the rebellious student, bad at school etc. There even was this confusion about Einstein who was thought to have had low grades when in reality he was always great in Physics. That's survivorship bias and the people nitpicking cases to prove their point, all the rest, who are by far the majority, will have had their potentials at least seen early on. I don't think you shouldn't encourage students to not base their worth off of their grades and certainly all these examples will motivate and extend their perspective but you also shouldn't hide behind comfortable arguments and examples. The whole thing about success and leadership and proving yourself to society is also very difficult in my opinion. Jordan Petterson and all the grind oriented culture just assert some standard of success that this whole argument of the video is based on. Is changing the word success? Is building a business, multiple NGOs and buying a boat success? Will I have a 'mediocre' life if I don't do that? Will I prove the argument by living my life in a 9-5 for the foreseeable future despite all my excellent grades? The minds of people are way to individual to be reduced to 'you were good in highschool but now your life is mid, but this other guy was horrible in highschool and now his life is S-tier'. Although I see where the thought of 'bad grades will get you success later' is popular and well received, I mean it's extremely well intended and hey the majority of students will identify with that but in the end it definitely will contribute to some extend to a more toxic relationship with self worth and might also disregard a reality where having good grades is indeed an indicator of being 'succesful' later on.

[@kosaken1207]

I really like this mentality. Currently I am an American high schooler whose grades gradually improved throughout the years, and am going into my last year strong. That said, I find many overachievers to be superficial. Sure, many of them are having insane scores, crazy in-field experiences, and an intense social life. Yet, what point is it if they are never able to apply it and do the field they love? Are they just going to remain as a corporate slave? I find it to be too much about following a trend, rather than building your own perspective on the world.

[@zoeanaam.6996]

Exactly I feel like when people are tired or don't want to improve they try to justify their behavior by using the examples of 1% of the people who became successful even after being average at school but they do not discuss what happens to other's? Not every student who is average proved to be successful it's like making your own self idiot and not showing improvement because now you have reasons though.

[@Barry_ibeh]

Well said

[@ross7495]

YESS!! Thank you for blessing our minds with this comment

[@kalyani1379]

exactly! how do you define success is also important what if to you it's doesn't seem like success but to them it could be success depending on the series of events and experience they gathered on the way to where they are right now

[@JoaoJGabriel]

On the relationship between intelligence and being the best student, if you're really smart, what's thought in school can be so easy to grasp that you end up chronically under challenged, and this may lead you to be bored and build the habit of going by without effort. Acing tests become impossible; not because the subjects are hard to learn, but for the fact you've learned to not apply yourself. Although this may sound completely negative, daydreaming and "being lazy" at some level are necessary, on the other hand, for seeing things from a fresh perspective and finding creative, optimized, solutions.

[@najoua6257]

you're right

[@williamwz32]

Having graduated from both high school and college, the latter more recently, I can confidently say that I was an average student throughout all of them. Frankly speaking, I'm surprised I even graduated college to begin with. But if there's anything that I've learned, it's that school life does not necessarily = real life and I wish I had realized that sooner so that I could have tried more things to find my passion. Watching your video today makes me feel more comfortable with the fact that I'm not alone in having been an average student.

[@Keirosqeen]

Same, I always had a trouble concentrating therefore struggled reading, learning, and doing my master's degree in another language now does not help at all. But haven't failed any class so far, just very bad grades, but Germany does not really concern much about grades, so no worries I guess.

[@raspberryquartz6186]

I'm still a high school student and almost everything is centered around being generalists. Like participating in debates, competitions, sports, clubs community services as well as AP courses just to get into the best uni...I just don't know what the point is if going to college and still not learning how to live life...Maybe for people who want to work in professional fields like medical and stuff...ig higher education is needed.

[@williamwz32]

@@raspberryquartz6186 You’re right in your assumption that high school wants to make you into a generalist. There’s a reason why you’re doing math, science, English, and a social studies class almost every year, with some electives for you to pick. Now, what that reason is is up for debate and I’ve settled on it being partially due to what’s mandated out of them and also due to just rounding you out for college.

[@Kokola-qh9wp]

FINALLY SOMEONE ACKNOWLEDGING THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES WHEN IT COMES TO 'SUCCESS'!!! I feel like most of the self-help community and authors focus solely on the Western perspective, hence those of us in Asian countries that follow their advice don't seem to relate or find it practical at all....You did an excellent job on this video, thank you so much :)

[@KoiAcademy]

Love the documentary style you have going here! Also thanks for sharing this message, it’s so important for students to enjoy the ride vs set the curve 😎

[@TinaHuang1]

Thanks so much!! Was kind of scared of this new style haha

[@fatimatul6123]

I totally agree with you on the Asian culture part. Yes, this concept applies well to the individualistic western society while on the other hand, it may vary in our Asian community.

[@anhkhoinguyen272]

It’s important how you define “success” too. If success means making lots of money, then sure. Students who do really well academically might not be into business, thus not making big bucks like the people who own their own company but they may very well be successful scientists, teachers, engineers, doctors (I know some of the jobs I listed make lots of money but it’s probably not much comparing to successful business man) who are also very respectable.

[@sanchitasahu338]

Kind a disagree because many of these billionaires attended ivy leagues bill gates got nearly perfect sat score, Mark Zuckerberg attended Harvard and Jeff Bezos was a valedictorian and even go to Princeton

[@moviesfan5513]

High GPA is very different from High SAT. One is about aptitude other is about discipline and following rules.

[@dumbass8003]

and Elon got a degree in physics It's would be better if the title was "you degree and your scores don't define you" because you can get a full mark back then and working for someone who got 50/100 and *verse versa*.

[@harkonen1000000]

Bill Gates was a millionaire when he dropped out.

[@user-jq1tl4wl7w]

May be the best students were not maximizing their "good scenario" income but their AVERAGE EXPECTED INCOME. Their less studious classmates took a more risky path with a higher potential income (if they got lucky). It is likely that due to the risks involved the self-employed/business option had a lower expected average income.

[@hanooi7450]

The good students take the higher expected value path of good paying safe careers. The good students then become too comfortable so don't take the risks that result in extraordinary returns. The less good students tend to take more risks which when successful, result in much higher returns. However, their failures can be dismal too which drag down the expected value below that of the good students. There was a study that looked at the average earnings of students who graduated MIT and Harvard. The Harvard students on average had higher incomes because they took the safer careers in medicine, law, and finance. The MIT students numbers were lower because they were more entrepreneurial. In entrepreneurship, only 2 out of 10 companies usually succeed so the MIT students due to their failed ventures had lower average income than the Harvard students.

[@jenniferlim2250]

@@hanooi7450 Very true. My very first boss did not take the bar after his law degree - after graduation, he went from door-to-door, selling carpets. And he became the CEO of a listco in Singapore (where I'm from). Another boss dropped out of law school, to work up the ranks in oil and gas, later founded his own company and decided to raise money to build the world's most state-of-the-art oil rig - and he managed a team of college grads. And I'm still just a finance manager/senior accountant. The rewards of entrepreneurship came with huge risks but they were willing to take them.

[@CrisTryingToBeProductive]

The more technical experienced I gain the more I realized how big is the effect of having well developed soft skills. I have had to endure challenges both in college and working after I got my degree.

[@sayyedzarrar]

True

[@choo8455]

Honestly, I think it should come from the person itself whether they feel successful or not because one might have a different perception of what success meant to them vs what or how society views it

[@wellynrose823]

I am now very confused. I happened to have had good grades all my life, but I didn't really aim for them; I complied because that was what it meant to give it my best (why not? I had to do it anyway), but I wasn't exactly eyeing a traditional path work-wise. I was studying my own interests when I wasn't attending classes in college, graduated valedictorian but did nothing related to that degree.. a compliant unconventional, maybe. And success, to me, is deeply personal - it matters little how grand it looks on the outside. Success to me looks like having the freedom to pursue my own truths and do well at them. Maybe, it would've turned out quite differently tho if I had the opportunity to study what I wanted where I wanted in the first place - might've been more risk-averse if I had what such privilege entails to lose. In conclusion, it turns out I didn't need to feel called out by that title.

[@yolkydoodle9138]

I have a 4.0 in engineering at a top public research university, so I'm relatively qualified to talk about this. The type of success that you describe in this video (influencers, CEOs, high paying positions, etc.) isn't for everyone. They often require huge personal sacrifices that we can't comprehend early in our educational careers. Eventually you'll have to consider how your career goals are going to impact your long-term relationships - perhaps the stress of a high-paying job isn't actually worth it, or having to make decisions that can impact billions of dollars in revenue isn't quite your style. There are many different ways to succeed, but in the most common paths to success, always remember to keep your priorities in perspective, because as you grow into your early 20s your definition of success can rapidly change. But I agree! 4.0 students tend to undervalue the soft skills you need to build your network and communicate effectively.

[@geniuspeng]

I spent high school making top grades but never truly learned how to study the right way to process and really understand and retain info. I wish I had gotten into thinking outside the box and not sticking to how things are always done and developing myself and confidence, this would have really changed my whole high school experience and made it more enjoyable.

[@kalyani1379]

I feel the same way however from my perspective I think I knew exactly how to study back in school that's why I would get good grades but didn't actively look at my pattern of studying or strategy of studying maybe it was more intuitive driven but unfortunately that doesn't work forever and now I am struggling. I often try to think about the past and try to recall how did I study and I can't remember much lol. One thing I do remember is that back then my aim wasn't on getting good grades more than it was on to study in such a way that when I sit in the exam i do not have many doubts on whether the answer is correct or not and even if I was unsure I would just try my best to find the answer and many times it worked! I guess I was less anxious but then again school curriculum is honestly very easy compared to what comes in later stages.

[@wildbouquet7941]

I needed this video today! I did pretty bad in school (except for the subjects I was genuinely interested in thanks to undiagnosed adhd😅). I’ve always had it in my brain that I wasn’t intelligent and incapable of pursuing a more challenging career if I had wanted to. Recently I’ve been very interested in data analytics and have been pouring all my free time into learning. I may not be learning quite as fast as someone else could, but I’m LEARNING. I’m still fighting off the negative voices daily that tell me “you can’t do this”, but I’m determined to work hard and achieve my goals🙌🏻

[@salazaritzel]

How are you treating adhd as an adult if i may ask

[@wildbouquet7941]

@@salazaritzel Sure! Honestly I’m not really treating it atm. I think for now, the main thing that’s helped me is accepting the fact that certain things just won’t be as easy for me as they would for a neurotypical person. From there I can figure out how to do something differently to make it work for me! I’m very much still trying to figure it all out though.

[@sushmita4713]

Are you me in the multiverse, even I have untreated adhd and currently investing my time and money in learning data science. Even I was an average student except in the subject I liked. Looking back I always think how did I even come this far with having adhd

[@wildbouquet7941]

@@sushmita4713 Whoa maybe😳😂 You know what’s so interesting… I’ve been seeing SO many people with adhd get into data analytics! I don’t know if it’s just a coincidence but it’s encouraging for me!

[@sushmita4713]

@@wildbouquet7941 That is good to hear. Symptoms of ADHD just complement this field imo and I have ocd too and organizing data from its mess to something beautiful gives me so much satisfaction in the end.

[@rashidcodes4291]

I wonder what the definition of success is. Personally I feel like it's a difficult concept to grasp when there's so many subjective definitions. But great video Tina, learned a lot from this

[@TinaHuang1]

Very true! I think for me at least it's about being free to do whatever I want without worrying about finances

[@universecode1101]

For me because over time, so many things change ... in the world of work, you understand different things, and continuing to improve is not easy for everyone. The way you do these things makes a difference

[@aland.9060]

People mostly don't consider others life conditions when it comes to "success". However many things affects our performance, psychology, what you go through, finance etc. It's just the performance, not what you are

[@blackswan7568]

I've always been a "Straight A" student and have (admittedly) prided myself on that fact. However, I'm also pursuing a career in IT, and I do get the sense that the tech field appeals more to those "C student/outside-of-the-box thinkers" than it does for me. I do better in a structured, conventional environment, which is why I'm enjoying college, but working my summer internship is definitely requiring me to step out of my comfort zone a little bit. I'm hoping that I can either learn to adjust in terms of personality and think less conventionally, or that I can find a tech field that's a bit more structured so that I can be more "in my element."

[@TheNinjatsu]

I saw a group of absolute losers and bullies who got very successful because of their parents or siblings relations so its nepotism this world ain't fair. Real talk! If you are smart and a genuinely honest *not selfish* and a hardworking person but you fail no matter what u do then its one of two, either your parents have failed to guide you OR you are in the wrong country. If your parents Failed you, then you are in the toughest spot cause you will have to make sure their toxic mentality doesn't go to your children through you, learn how to take the positivity and avoid the negativity from people you love.

[@geniuspeng]

I was valedictorian at my school and the part of smart students thinking they’re not the smartest but more so the hardest working really resonated with me. I was definitely focused on rote learning and trying to memorize info so I could make the grades and fit the rules but as I grow older I’ve been learning how to essentially learn better and I really hope to move away from being someone who only conforms to the system and more of someone who can make a difference and find ways to change. Thanks for making this video and sharing your insight!! 😌💗

[@IamKudos]

I'm most an average student, not too good or bad. But I try very hard and never get the grades I want to, because I'm usually pretty bad at exams. But I still need to force myself to keep on studying, because my third wold country only ever deems success with academically good students. I want to move out as soon as I can, and yet the only way for that is to get admitted to a college as an international student. So this loop just keeps going on and on

[@Gbizz]

always been slightly-moderately above average... not that exciting but its quite relaxed and feels healthy, especially in university

[@kennethnicholson3750]

The video drew light on my failures in school and why is it so hard to maintain good grades even though people swear I'm pretty smart (true or not, I don't mind). I've always been ambitous about doing work and learning things on my own, but my peers suggest to get a stable job/ careers. And after years of struggle in college I recently thought about giving it one more go to see if I can grow more discipline and willpower so that I can use that for my own solo education later on.

[@samo6401]

If youre always comparing yourself to others as your metric for success, youre always going to be a failure. The point isnt to beat everyone, the point is to get what you want, and be happy with what you have. Youre never going to be happy if you always move the goal post. You should define what you want clearly and do everything you can to ensure the highest probability that you will be successful. If you dont know what you want, try new stuff to figure it out, and ignore other's success, because you dont know if their success would be your success. For a lot of people, going after what they want means going through school and at least putting in an honest effort. For some others, more school is not part of that. Neither is wrong

[@ClearerThanMud]

This is interesting, but I think it's also true that for a lot of really intelligent people, the kinds of activities involved in making and growing a business are not remotely interesting. So if you define success as monetizing that intelligence, then the most intelligent might be LESS inclined to take a detour from what really interests them to achieve success.

[@brainstormd]

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. - Henry Ford

[@Swelouise]

Definitely out of the box. I had really poor grades in HS and during my first run in college. I don't like following directions especially if I am not going to get in "trouble" for not following them. I was a well-behaved child so teachers passed me along. When I returned to college at 27 I actually listened and followed directions (this was very challenging) but I made it through with mostly B's and a few A's.

[@Swelouise]

I feel like success comes from being strategic and having a plan and sometimes luck.

[@RunOs3]

I'm an unfiltered, non-traditional student who almost failed out of middle school and didn't go to a traditional high school. This vid blew my mind, Tina. Thanks so much for all the great information. This answered many questions I have had about myself for many years.

[@dikshyakasaju7541]

Great video, Tina! Tbh, I didn't really learn anything in classroom other than aim for good grades. Eventually started questioning if those degrees were futile? Finally, realised that grades can't define me since I've the freedom and privilege to draw my own roadmap and change the trajectory as and when I feel like. It's been a game changer since then...

[@TinaHuang1]

yess! I think this is what it is in the end!

[@dikshyakasaju7541]

@@TinaHuang1 Nevertheless thank you for your enlightening videos and your free newsletters as well, Tina. 😃

[@brainstormd]

“Knowledge is power: You hear it all the time, but knowledge is not power. It's only potential power. It only becomes power when we apply it and use it.” - Jim Kwik

[@NOTmyProblem...]

I love how you pointed out there are different types of people because honestly I myself graduated from school this year as on of the best students but just as you said that's because I've learned to adapt myself to my surroundings (the school system). I am someone who wants job security and not taking the risk of founding a company etc. myself. And it's okay to be this way ♡ Of course I want to be successful and I'm scared of being left behind but at the same time I know even after going to university I could still take that risk if I have more trust in myself by then.

[@DavidFoale1]

School and school teachers actively encourage you to fit in, then fit into employment, into other peoples dreams. You can be praised for being creative, if you study certain subjects. eg. Art, Drama, Sports, Music. Here it is celebrated. However in traditional academic subjects, you are meant to fit in, to to learn how things are from other peoples past creativity eg physics. To conform to the curriculum, go to Uni then get a job and fit into a different set of rules or 'walls to exist within'. I was an average student, went to an average Uni, came from an average family. People say to me, oh you have retired when at 62, they don't see me going off to work. At 36 was the last time I worked for someone else which limited my thinking in exchange for a steady income. At 40 I took up trading full time, at 55 I learnt to code, at 60 I created a profitable trading algorithm (passive income). I hate the idea of fitting in or conforming. I intend to continue to be successful in what I do, now that walls, barriers and the need to fit in have been jettisoned and I have the time to think and work at my pace and be creative in my own way. That in itself is a good measure of success, although monetary success is good too :)

[@Otmduk]

I’m 16 is coding and trading a good career path?

[@DavidFoale1]

​@@Otmduk Definitely learning to code is a great way to go. Unlike a lot of things, it's essentially free to learn. My son aged 17 is getting into it, and now wants to study it at college. Trading and coding have at least one thing in common, they both take effort, persistence and patience to learn well. It will be frustrating at times, but will pay off if you stick with it and believe in yourself. Good luck with whatever you decide to do :)

[@franchescamayialmonte1303]

Is important also to see how each one of us define success. Still watching just in case.

[@andreialcaza]

True

[@DataProfessor]

As always great video, Tina! Nice lighting and the story telling is superb :) As for me, For a long time, I've slipped into the the traditional study hard, get good grades, and pursue a stable career. Not until recently that I've taken the leap to a more adventurous path that I've found to be very fulfilling. But the leap was a long time coming that at first seemed out of reach.

[@TinaHuang1]

Tysm!! That's really awesome! How do you feel about things now? I assume it was scary at first to break away?

[@DataProfessor]

@@TinaHuang1 Finally made the transition to working full-time in Tech from academia since late last year. Things are settling in nicely :)

[@rogeriano437]

That's a very interesting point! I think that environment and the connections you have inside school both play a big role in how good your grades are, but as long as you focus on solving real life problems, grades won't matter at all.

[@hanooi7450]

I'm a combination of very out of the box and also a very good student. The good student part of me landed me a good paying career which I diligently saved up my money to use as seed capital to fund my startup which I bootstrapped all the way to profitability without the need to raise capital. There is a book called "The Hypomanic Edge". It basically found that the out of the box people tend to share a mental disorder called hypomania that makes them great risk takers and out of the box thinkers.

[@inestran109]

i just got my high school diploma result yesterday, and averaged at 15.5/20. In France, this grade is actually considered good, but because I come from a very selective high school, this grade is only considered average, sometimes even bad. This really makes me doubt about my future, because I really gave my best, and for 2 years, I worked 13 hours a day, 6.5 days per week, while some people did the bare minimum and still did better than me. But now that I think about it, it’s not because I forgot that Hitler was born in Austria, or that i forgot a detail from page 134 in “A doll’s house” that my life is going to fail.

[@LeoListening]

I live in France and I've taught at university, IUT, lycée etc - the school system is so brutal and grade focused! And you have to deal with those grades out of 20 you whole life, if you take a "concours" etc. Courage !

[@unfortunatewitnessX]

In my country, my family kept drilling the notion that education is the key to success, that you must work and study hard to reach there and we have to follow our teachers' guidance all the way. But nowadays, I wouldn't mind thinking outside the box and learning things in a new way to make learning easier. Your video opened up doors that I never thought I'd imagine would exist. Also, it took me six years to complete my B.Sc in Business Computing at London Metropolitan University through my local tertiary education institution for what's supposed to be a three-year period, partly because I was autistic, but I kept on going because I love computers and really wanted that degree. So, yeah, it wasn't easy, but I got it and will graduate at the end of this year.

[@thegoldenmiddle2358]

Thank you, I needed to hear this today, I was always feeling inferior for not being like others , but still having the brain, but because never being first, I felt the pressure of expectations

[@robinferdous9164]

Since when did success = wealth? Accumulating wealth and impact are very distinct outcomes. Also success is so subjective I think it's a term that should not be used in this context.

[@samyaknagrale9566]

Showed this video to my mom, she smacked me on my head and told me to go back to study for my upcoming semester exams 🙃🙃🙃

[@TinaHuang1]

LOL

[@RobWill5864]

I'm definitely more out of the box. I had one teacher in the 7th grade that said something that completely changed my approach to school, going from a C student to graduating with a 3.5 GPA. He simply said learning is supposed to be fun. There was a whole speech, and a bit more to the story, but that was the point. That was like a key to hack my way through the rest of school. School went from this boring thing I had to do to this fun game inside of the bigger game, using out-of-the-box methods to get the grades I aimed for.

[@sammyslogic6045]

I heard about straight A+ students not being as successful outside of school and it scares me because I think I’ll be one of those less successful ones

[@anshulkandpal2384]

Dude! All if this is correlation, no causation. You can definitely be a straight A student AND succesful im your life. Besides, there are tonns of variables that shape this video which are not addressed at all. For example, isn't the idea of success subjective? For one, it could be climbing the top of the corporate ladder, for the other, it could be a happy family. Take these videos with a fuck ton of salt.

[@Rock-Flower]

Like me, I am not good at school, but I am creative and have a lot of art skills. Such as, drawing, jewlery design, ceramics, cooking, and also sewing.

[@raspberryquartz6186]

In August, for 2022-23 school year I'll be a junior. I've selected 3 APs towards the end of 2022-22 year when I was a sophomore. Despite having chosen the course, I kinda still don't know what direction I want to go. Right now, I'm one of the fortunate kids who still get to have an education(and an international one at that), because my country is in the middle of a breakdown and revolution. And this pressure to actually be great is making me scared. Since young, I was validated by my grades that I'm "good" not because I'm smart but just work harder than others to achieve the same results. I also have tuitions(Asian culture) but I quit in my freshmen year because I realized my peers and I don't have the same education. For example, the school would teach the courses, but after school or months before the course was taught, outside institutions and tuitions have covered it. So when I came back to school with the knowledge processed 2 months prior, it seem I instantly got the concept when that lesson came. Similarly, my friends have these SAT tuitions during this summer(but most actually started since April). However, the teacher(school) would not prep us for SAT and just left us to self-study. I tried Khan academy for math SAT prep, but I couldn't get myself to practice consistently. This privilege is of course earned by my family because they own their own company. It seems they want me to work in their company and major in business management or some kind of finance degree from college. But the thing is my school is catered to US colleges and universities. Since I don't know much about those universities and even what I'm going to major in...I don't sometimes even know what courses, clubs, or community services, to do during my last 2 years. Just like the video said, I feel like I'm good at everything and that I'm not good at anything. My passion is still not concentrated and still vague. The tuition fees for my current school are high with dollar prices increasing higher than ever and with the civil unrest...I don't even know what the future holds. Academics do not mean success...so what should I do?

[@avuaronar6815]

i'm a hs senior rn. Have always had straight A's and was considered as the best student in my class, and now, probably the best in the school. It essentially didn't teach me HOW to learn though. Like you mentioned, I'm the typical "Jack of all trades, master of none". Now I'm really struggling with building up habits that I've never had and I begin to realize that I'm actually not so "traditional", I was just taught the wrong way from the start... I genuinely strive so much better in creative fields but my "side" hobbies are more scientific subjects like physics, psychology, biotechnologies, astrophysics and comp-sci. It sucks cuz I can't pursue any of the latter (except psychology) for some reasons and neither the creative careers like art, design, music, yk the drill. I'm terribly stuck in between making risky decisions, or no decisions at all.

[@shaidatahub]

I don't want it to look like a bluff but I do believe I am among the ones who are out of the box, but I was constantly pressured to fit myself because that's what my society and family expected from me. I struggled for a very long time admitting to myself that I should accept who I am. Currently fortunately I have my full freedom so I am working towards my unfitted goals, incorporating them with the knowledge I learned throughout years.

[@TinaHuang1]

as they say know thyself is the hardest and best things you can ever do. It's really hard to break out of what you've been conditioned to think huh?

[@ebonneenelson2325]

I believe you. That’s why I’m sending my kids to Montessori School. After Montessori, I will either homeschool them or send them to the middle school and high school in our district.

[@chrissolace]

Ironically, despite being good (though not the best… I was top 20 in my class of 1000) in high school, I am just above average in college. I think the biggest thing college does is humble you and make you realize you’re really not the most intelligent person and that’s ok. I still went and got a solid job that I’m happy with. And I really agree with that idea of immigrants preferring their children to get good jobs. That was what was expected of my Asian household. I think they don’t care if I’m a millionaire or make 3 figures, but would prefer 3 figures since it’s a lot more likely.

[@zeribot2300]

During high school, I did not have fun in school anymore, and I realized grades really isn't good for my well being. People around me define grades as me so I went and transferred to other school, and actually made friends. I am a bit worried what will I be when I go out in the real world now I am 1 year before I graduate college, but I know what I want and determined to do so despite the grades that I have

[@DQsRabbitHole]

The conclusions of the studies you cite here track with what I saw throughout my music studies as a music theory major. The kids who were the most alert and the best prepared in class had a different experience from the kids who were late and listless in class after gigging the night before. The second group weren't great students, but when we were all done with school, they were already pretty good at doing what everyone ended up trying to do, finding and playing gigs. The same disclaimer applies that not all exhausted nighthawks were self-directed music entrepreneurs, but those who were certainly had a leg up securing work after (or in place of) graduation.

[@lixia_blur]

I think I'm both. I love learning, studying and getting good grades. Those three reasons are probably why I get the grades I get but I'm also creative. I like coming up with theories on how the world works, making art and writing. I love creative things that are cool and have never been done before or are unheard of but I also like the traditional way of schooling because its an easy to follow plan although it can be quite restricting.

[@hkim9151]

It is because corporate job is about relationship and not about individual achievement. So it is random success , but if you are smart and connected than you are golden.

[@andreialcaza]

Its comes down to time i guess who has the most time to enjoy life

[@ohwow2074]

I'm more of an out of the box guy. With mediocre grades in high school and also university, I am not able to fully focus on studying. I just want to try out different things all the time. Consume new info, learn new things. University has become a pain in the back for me. Also thanks a lot for this amazing analysis. It was eye opening.

[@koushik5437]

now i understand what an young politician told the first PM of India "you have both Chamberlain and Churchill in you ....(basically split personality)"...Btw your Chinese experiences are so relatable in Indian culture too..

[@flovous]

I generally agree with Tina here. I was decent in high school, got good grades and stuff. However, my performance went downhill in college because of how chaotic and uncertain things are. I'm in my third year, and I'm still trying to figure out a lot of things. I have this internal pressure to be good at everything, but I also want to be more creative and create content the internet, even though it's a much less stable source of income compared to getting a job at a company. I like the freedom and I like what I do. Learning on my own without external pressure works well for me, or even anyone. There are also times where I intentionally need more external pressure so I can learn faster and finish my work faster. So, yes, a lot of things need to be considered. I don't want to sacrifice my grades to pursue my creative endeavors, I want things to be balanced. It definitely hurts me when I realized I did not have that same drive in high school, my grades aren't that great anymore, and I have less friends.

[@niloinreverse]

I'd say that I'm squarely in the middle I did well enough at some interesting things but didn't do well in doing assignments Once the pandemic hit, it got worse It's clear that the change in situation had great affect on how i performed in school I wouldn't say that i wasn't a bad student, i was already a bad student But being at home, with only few people to maybe talk to did bring what i already do to a higher extreme But the pandemic really did give me time to reflect on what i can improve

[@anitachandra2030]

For me education is the act of giving or receiving knowledge.

[@DEMEMZEA]

Most unbiased politcially motivated youtube channel I've evern seen, this is a really good one.

[@VladyVeselinov]

Anyone watching this thinking of quitting school, don't. Just pay attention to where you put your effort and find what enough effort is for you depending on your personal goals. Be brave, but don't fall victim to survivorship bias. If you do go for it, make sure you have enough savings to cover your expenses for the time you inted to focus on your venture.

[@Ogarocious_dance]

Great video, another interesting fact is looking up the Latin root word of educate, educere, which means to draw forth from within. And this idea of education ties in with the idea you mentioned of following and exploring one's interests. ☺️

[@TinaHuang1]

oh interesting!! didn't know that - thanks for sharing!

[@Ogarocious_dance]

@@TinaHuang1 Sure thing! Been enjoying your videos and newsletter! Keep going! 💪🏾

[@alouie001]

Real life is about adaptability and being able to think out of the box. GOing where there are no templates can be hard for people.

[@marksoberay2318]

I was a D student ....I retired a multi millionaire at 42

[@1220MrCool]

What did you do career-wise? Family? Kids?

[@diana19812]

Amazing video! Really want to point out how much research was done for it 👏👏👏👏 I was always struggling with school, but because it is supposed to be "the right way", my authentic self got suppressed and right now I am not sure anymore where I will truly prosper and what I like in general. But thank you for the video! It really opened my eyes on this topic.

[@ballsnwieners650]

I feel this topic is very complicated. This might sound cliché but isn’t how you measure success subjective? I think many misinterpret success with “how much money I have” or better yet “if I’ve attained financial freedom”, I believe that’s not always correct. I think you would also have to know what you REALLY want to do or be in life and I would hazard to say that not many of us know, or at least I’m the one who hasn’t figured it out yet lol. I think another factor to consider as well is happiness. Will my path to success also bring me joy? Will I forsake other important aspects of life by chasing my path to success? Does happiness even matter when you’re sitting on top of millions of bank notes? Might sound like dumb questions, but I genuinely want to know as someone who tends to lose their way from time to time.

[@nicktran2716]

I think success really boils down to what you want or lack in life. For example, for some people, success means having a family or getting their dream job. However, the real question is how can you measure success? Only money can do that.

[@atff99]

Depends on how you define success tbh

[@TinaHuang1]

very true! How do you define success?

[@samday414]

I think it’s important how you define success. A lot of people define success by how much money you make but that has never been a driving factor in my life. I have no desire to be rich.

[@CrashOverride332]

I became a better student as I got older and better knew how to compensate for having autism and adhd. Getting to choose a portion of my education path in college helped a lot as well, and digital tools to make studying easier has helped in ways I wish were available earlier. I didn't always get good grades in primary and secondary school because I went to very homework-intensive schools that taught poorly overall. I've yet to "make it" in any way in industry because the private sector discriminates against Black people and those with disabilities. Just ask all the companies breaking the law by not giving me ADA accommodations.

[@NoobDev14]

success is different for everyone, some people find success in having a good job and stable income while others find success in becoming the best in the world or the richest person.

[@sanvi___]

I'm one of the best students in my middle school and I study a lot cause Idk I probably don't trust myself enough. But I know I will have to study in college too cause it's going to be hard. But I want to solve more real-life and practical problems instead of more theoretical stuff, and school should teach more stuff like that, logic problems also.

[@sisiyao7221]

I have been following you for a while but I didn't know you were also aware of the Chinese education system! As a Chinese person who has been living in North America for the past ten years, I feel it. I was never a good student and the top students mostly grew up to be somewhat successful but mentally disturbed...

[@david-olivierpham3364]

Hopefully, not all of them are mentally disturbed xD

[@everythingisfine9988]

Excellent research! This is well put together and pretty spot-on... I'm in loooove! 🥰

[@Dingo689]

The question I ask myself a lot is What is a success? For some it's having money, for some it's being expert in their field, for some it's having a happy family, for some it's having freedom in life....If let's say teaching won't make you a millionare, and you know it, then why would someone choose a proffession like teaching? For me success is all I mentioned, even though you can't have it all in life. And the problem with schools ( I worked as a high school teacher for 5 years) is that it has the right values. Things that are appreciated in education are hard work and talent while in job market it can be bribe, looks, common interests, negotiation skills, knowing the right people etc. People that are good inside usually negotiate a lower pay and get taken advantage of in business. Also the problem is the person who comes from a wealthy family can have a good starting position while someone else can be Einstein working a bad job with a decent pay and being afraid of taking risks in life because of bad financial situation due to student debt and rent.

[@hello-pd7tc]

Thid is so well-spoken! Tina you are brilliant

[@fuma9532]

I agree with the overall message, although I don't think income alone should be used as a good metric for success. It can be part of a great life, but it's often seen as the ultimate goal, and when people get there they have nothing else.

[@Looshlee621]

I really appreciate this video you made! I wish I understood this concept when I was in high school. Do things because you want to, not because it's a societal benchmark that's assumed/ expected. I think I still would have continued with university, but I wish I had people and resources to talk to about it and other pathways. I'm a couple of years out and I'm having these big realizations. Basically, I'd like to have good assets, work in something I enjoy, and just life up.

[@magicmelody851]

Ty Tina this feels like very good advice and Def left me with some thinking to do. (: I'm glad to have found your channel.

[@Dan-ky5kt]

I think the first thing to consider here is defination of success , it relative, how u measure it is with help of fame and money. What about happiness?

[@belsama4770]

every person u said is succesfull had parents with a lot of many that helped them just a point i had to make

[@brainstormd]

become stronger, more creative, more productive, more excellent, more decent and more kind.

[@Two_andahalf_devil]

I was always a good student, not great not bad. I got medals for sports, awards for art, writing, music and design and academically always did above average. I’m in college doing Economics but I have no idea what I want to do. Something in the creative field some day, for now I’m only trying to appease my parents. I’m happy with being average but I do want to live a life doing something I’ll excel at and enjoy forever.

[@angelebebi5226]

Great video, Tina! I like the structure where you first talk about the research then use critical thinking to offer critiques and your own ideas. I’m not on either extreme as well so the end of the video offers me really practical advice. Thanks!

[@seljal.3993]

There are also people who are creative and don’t fit in but are still good students and try hard in school

[@AIMagician996]

In term of machine learning, best student is trained with school data. But they are overfit with society data.

[@lolnino8511]

I feel like I was lucky in the fact my teachers let me do my work in the way I want as long as I can show I can do the material they taught me

[@alandeutsch9987]

11:00 I think it's a great point that children of lower-class/immigrant families end up in very "traditional" high-paying jobs but not the very most high-paying modern jobs because it's safer than risking it all on your passion for music or art or something. I think It is very possible, on the other hand, that the children of those children, once given the relatively stable financial backing of their parents, can end up becoming the disrupters and innovators of society.

[@shivinunitholi2493]

Subjective. There are ppl who do well at academics and excel in their career too

[@deadlord9914]

your videos inspire me to continue learning data science / machine learning thanks!

[@suryaprakash-mo6ui]

damn, this feels like a veritasium video. loved it!!