Attaining perfection is nothing more than a myth. From a very tender age, we are taught to be excellent when it comes to our behavior, education, socializing, etc. The idea of making mistakes and not being good at something always attracts frowns and disapproval from people around us. This type of conditioning compels us to be perfect at everything in every stage of our life. Thus, we tire ourselves by trying to master every subject or skill so that society and our peers do not think of us as incompetent.
We always seem to forget that despite having the same physical similarities, we all are unique. No two people have the same fingerprints or ridges on the tongue. If we all are so different physically, then no wonder we are different mentally, which means that expecting everyone to excel in everything is foolish. Two individuals who are not the same shouldn’t be expected to have the same level of intellect. Everyone has different special skills and talents; thus, testing them all on the same ground doesn’t reflect their smartness and proficiency. Instead, such systems lower individuals’ morale and force them to believe they are not good enough. This is the main idea expressed in the following quote:
If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid
Where Does The Quote Come From?
The quote is widely attributed to Einstein. Unfortunately, there are no credible evidence that verify its attribution to Einstein.
Who Was Einstein?
Albert Einstein was a German-born Swiss-American scientist. He is known around the globe for his spectacular discoveries and mind-blowing theories on physics. Einstein was born into a Jewish family in Germany. He attended a technical school in Zurich and became a Swiss citizen after graduation.
In 1902, Einstein worked as a clerk at the Swiss patent office and put forward his original theoretical work. In 1905, he received his doctorate from the University of Zurich. After that, he held several professorships at reputable institutions. In 1915, Einstein published his famous ‘General Theory Of Relativity.’ Later, in 1921, he was honored with a Nobel Prize for his work on the photoelectric effect.
Einstein was one of the most renowned scientists of his time. Due to his extensive knowledge of nuclear physics, he was offered the post of the first prime minister of Israel. However, he refused and became an activist for nuclear disarmament.
What Is The Meaning of the Quote?
The quote unravels the result of testing everyone on the same criteria. When we fail to meet society’s rigid standards of perfection in every field, we start to think little of ourselves, and it crushes our self-esteem. Every individual on this planet is unique and has different interests and skills. Hence, having a specific set of benchmarks would be inaccurate in determining how expert or talented one is. Thus, try not to get upset about failing something you are not good at or are not interested in. Instead, focus on the things that you love doing.
Unfortunately, our education system and society expect every student to be a genius when it comes to every subject. They test the student’s understanding and capabilities by conducting a uniform test for everyone. The examiners overlook the fact that every child has different interests and cannot be good at everything.
In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards.
Mark Twain
As a result of this uniform grading system, many students have to worry about passing in subjects they don’t like or plan to pursue in the future. Some individuals even resort to cramming or cheating not to fail. Such grading system is futile in helping young pupils learn or attain knowledge. Instead, it simply checks their memory of how much they can remember and respond correctly in exams.
Moreover, because of the strict guidelines for tests, many folks avoid giving time to their passions and refining it further. Always remember that no system can precisely measure your gifted talents and expertise. Hence, enjoy doing and loving what you are passionate about.
3 Simple Ways To Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses
1. Create a List of Things You Love
The most effective yet simple way to discover your strength is to converse with yourself. Ask yourself what you like doing the most and enlist it. Analyze each item on your list and select ones that you love doing and never get tired of it. Doing so will give you a crystal clear picture of your passion and strengths. Moreover, you can devote more time and practice to attain perfection.
You can also create a list of things you are not good at. After that, you can pick one thing at a time and take small steps to become better at it. For instance, if you struggle with staying organized and managing your time, you can keep a to-do list to keep track of your pending tasks. Making a tiny change every day will turn your weaknesses into your strengths.
2. Talk to Your Friends and Family Members
Another way to find what you are good at is by asking your friends. Sometimes it is difficult for us to assess what we are good at because of our confidence and self-esteem issues. We find it hard to accept that we have excellent capabilities. In contrast, we focus on our weaknesses, forcing us to consider ourselves incompetent.
However, our loved ones can easily identify our strengths and weaknesses. Hence, talk to your trusted family members and peers to make you aware of your abilities and shortcomings. Your true friends will be honest with you and enlighten you about what you are remarkable at and what you need to work on. Furthermore, your comrades can even give valuable ideas and tips to help you overcome your flaws.
3. Reflect On Your Past Accomplishments
Comparing ourselves to others often makes us feel unworthy. Observing our companions and acquaintances achieving their goals reminds us of our weaknesses. We think of ourselves as incompetent and not as bright as our peers. Many people wish to be more like their smart and accomplished friends during such situations. However, they forget that every human is unique. If God had wanted us to be the same, he would have created us all alike without any difference.
The following quote is a beautiful reminder to embrace your uniqueness and stop comparing yourself with others. Check out the explanation of this quote to celebrate your individuality every day.
To overcome self-deprecating negative feelings, reflect upon your past successes. Think about all the times you solved a problem or achieved your goals using your expertise and skills. By doing so, you will get a big surge of confidence and become familiar with your strengths.