Tutor: Don’t Lose the Lesson
What to do when you lose...
Have you ever heard Nelson Mandela’s indomitable quote about never losing? "I never lose,” he said, “I either win, or I learn." Maybe that’s true in the long term, but long-suffering New York Giants fans like me know the truth all too well: everyone loses, sometimes far too often.
In the academic world, very few learners win every time. No matter how diligent or well-prepared you are, you’re bound to run into the limits of your current understanding. The same truth applies to performers, athletes, and anyone else who dares.
Everyone loses in the short term. The question is how to turn today’s L into tomorrow’s W.
While Mandela alluded to the path to deferred victory, the Dalai Lama sagaciously articulated the way to find a potential upside in your inevitable downturns: When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
As educators, we know our students will lose. Very few of my students get better every single time they test until finally taking down a perfect score. Even the best test takers miss points, just as even Michael Jordan threw up bricks every now and again.
But when you lose, don’t lose the lesson. Forget the excuses or self-recriminations–just figure out why you lost. Then fix it.
Obviously, this advice doesn’t just apply to learners but also teachers. We tutors and coaches take on the sacred responsibility to help our charges find and leverage the lessons in their losses. We owe no less to ourselves.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Tips, Tools, And Thoughts
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Looking for an opportunity to elevate your skills as an educator, operator, and overall awesome professional? The 2024 National Test Prep Association Winter Workshop will be held at the Embassy Suites in downtown Nashville on December 16-17, 2024 and you should join me there! Register while seats and discounted hotel rooms are still available.