He was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages; so ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on.

Benjamin Franklin

All successful people are not necessarily academically brilliant. They are successful because they have some ‘other’ qualities which toppers do not possess.

Though doing well in exams and getting good grades is desirable, it is not essential for success in life. My experience tells me that average students, most of the time, do as well and many times better than those who are categorised as brilliant in schools and colleges. Try your best with your studies but also focus on developing your overall personality alongside. 

The following steps should be done right from your teenage days:

Improve General Awareness: Today students have so many opportunities to learn but they just while away their time. Reading magazines, news papers, watching good and informative TV channels is enriching. 

Inculcate Reading habits: It is not necessary to read very heavy books. You should read books as per your age so that you enjoy reading. In this way you will get addicted to reading. Thereafter, start reading serious and heavy stuff. Reading fiction is a must. Pick up good authors who deal with interesting subjects. That will help you to get both knowledge and entertainment. It also helps develop communication skills. 

Develop a Hobby: It is important to have a couple of hobbies. These not only make you spend your time well but also help you in developing your personality. In MBA programmes there is so much emphasis on personality development, but those two years can do little if a student has not developed his personality. 

Pick up some games: Games are an important element in one’s life. Games teach you to be a team player, they keep you mentally alert and physically fit. And they make you happy. You need not excel at a game and play at school or district level, but you must play for the fun of it.

Remain inquisitive and aware: You will be surprised to know that children, who are inquisitive, do much better in life than those who are ‘not interested in anything’. Keep your eyes and ears open all the time. Every minute that you spend can be a learning experience. You can learn something when you read an advertisement on the road. When you visit a car showroom with your parents, do not remain disinterested when the salesman explains something about the car to your father. You will be surprised to know that by paying attention you will learn more about cars than reading a car magazine.

Develop listening habits: “How do I improve my pronunciation?” is an oft-asked question. There may be coaching classes available for learning good English but there are cheaper and better ways to learn it. Listening to a good newsreader can teach you the right pronunciation quite effectively.

Story of two average people who made it big

Thomas Edison, the great inventor of the electric bulb, was a poor student at school. In his early years, teachers told Edison he was “too stupid to learn anything”. Work was no better, as he was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb before he got it right. Soichiro Honda began with a series of failures. He could hardly complete his engineering as he was keen on gaining practical knowledge, not theory. Honda was turned down for a job. He started making scooters of his own at home, and spurred on by his neighbours, finally started his own business which became a multi-billion dollar company.

About the author: 

Virender Kapoor…author, thinker and educationist 

An IIT Bombay Alumnus, Kapoor is an author and a motivational speaker.

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