There are a million things I don’t believe, and here are just a few of them:
I’m bad at math.
I can’t study.
I have to work late at night.
I didn’t have time.
I just keep failing the test.
That class is so boring.
I can’t find anything fun about ___.
I have a disability so I can’t…
I hate to write long papers and read novels.
I don’t know why I am the way that I am, but ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you that I tend to very easily question limiting beliefs – especially those of my students. To steal a line from my very own teacher, Kris Plachy, I love to say, “But what if it wasn’t?”
Don’t get me wrong, I do see evidence to support these beliefs. The student who thinks she’s bad at math truly does see evidence in her poor grades that she’s bad at math. The student who has to work at night truly only does get work done at night. And, the class that is so boring, truly is pretty boring.
However, I also see an opportunity in each of these situations to believe something different, something that actually serves my student by allowing them to learn, grow, and evolve. And, by doing so they get to gain skills, be accomplished, feel proud, and serve themselves well.
So instead of believing, “I just keep failing at the test.” They can believe, “I haven’t figured out a way to not fail the test yet.”
The simple addition of the word “yet” changes everything – because what was impossible, is now possible. Did you see that happen, too?
Now, do a little something for me, would you? Go back to the top of that list above – of all of those limiting beliefs – and see if you can turn them into limitless beliefs.
Here are some of the ways I did that:
I’m bad at math, I haven’t figured out how to be good at math, yet.
I can’t study, I haven’t figured out how to study, yet. .
I have to work late at night. I haven’t figured out how to study at another time besides late at night, yet.
I didn’t have time. I haven’t figured out how to find time, yet.
I just keep failing the test. I haven’t figured out how to pass the test, yet.
That class is so boring. I haven’t figured out how to make this class interesting, yet.
I can’t find anything fun about ___. I haven’t figured out how to have fun, yet.
I have a disability so I can’t… I haven’t figured out how to do ___, yet.
So here is a fun, and wonderful task for you and your child as we begin 2022. Go to that “thorn in the side” class or boring, awful subject, or weak skill, or unsuccessful project and ask, “But, what if it wasn’t?”
Evolved Education Company serves families and students by filling in the gaps that traditional education does not provide. We offer 1-1 tutoring, test preparation, parent consulting, and school placement advisement (nursery-college).
