NO SUBJECT IS DIFFICULT

Many students believe that certain subjects are difficult while others are easy. As a result, they perform poorly on the subject they believe is difficult. But is this supposed to be so? I don’t think so! My opinion is that any student who desires to do well in any subject can, if rightly guided.  That’s why on Student Groove this week, I want to share with you, thoughts that will help you approach subjects you consider difficult and perform excellently in them.

What Do You Believe?

The first truth I want to tell you is that your belief that a subject is difficult is basically what your mind is telling you. Your belief is who you see yourself as and it greatly affects your performance. The implication is that when your belief is faulty, it affects your all-round performance. Most of the cases of wrong belief are built by a number of factors – people’s opinion, singular or casual incident and observation of people. That’s why you must order your belief alright. You need to order your belief right or you will always find it difficult or even impossible doing well in the subject. Listen, there is truth in these words of Brian Tracy, “Whatever you truly believe, with feeling, becomes your reality.”

Pull Down Wrong Belief Systems

The first step to tackling any subject you consider difficult is pulling down every wrong belief (idea/opinion) you have about the subject. Sit down and begin to reflect on how you came up with the idea that a subject is difficult.

Could it be that the first teacher that taught you the subject did not do it well? It just means that he/she is not such a wonderful teacher or may even be a bad one. Maybe, your teacher mocked you and made you look like you cannot learn the subject properly. That’s the teacher’s opinion; every man is entitled to his opinion. Even Thomas Edison’s teacher was wrong in his opinion about Edison when he told Edison’s mother that her son can’t learn.

Your teacher could even be more wrong. No matter what bad opinion people have about you, I advise you in the words of Les Brown, “Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.”

You Can Do Well Even After Failure

Have you failed the subject over and over again that you now think you can’t do it excellently? It doesn’t mean that the subject is difficult. It just means that you could not learn it well enough or understand how to tackle it in your exams. Guess what? You can learn anything on earth if you have enough interest in it and go about the right process of learning it.

I think it was Thomas Edison, who, after failing severally in his effort to invent the incandescent electric build, said “Failure is an opportunity to more intelligently begin again.” Sit down and check what you did or didn’t do that made you fail the subject and develop a plan on how to tackle it again for success.

Don’t Listen to Failures!

Maybe, you have heard many people say that the subject/course is difficult. That’s their opinion! The majority is usually wrong. In fact, if you pay attention, you will see many people who say that the subject/course is easy. So, stop listening to those who believe that the subject/course is difficult with their explanation of how difficult it is. They will take away confidence in you and instill fear that will paralyze you from doing well in your subjects. Locate those who believe and have proved that it is easy. They will show you how easy it is and make you find it easy.

You have to change this mindset that sees any subject as difficult otherwise you will always be scared at the mention of the subject.  Please note that the subject you find difficult is seen as an easy one by your contemporaries and some of them believe that the subject you find easy is difficult.

Having meditated on this issue for sometimes, I present to you some thoughts that can help you tackle any subject you presently consider difficult. Please note that these thoughts I want to share will make sense to you when you have changed your mindset from seeing a subject as being difficult to being easy and passable.

Start studying!

Start reading the subject/course you find difficult. Get easy-to-understand textbooks or materials on the subject and start studying early before your exam comes close. Don’t start with the materials that have lots of technical terms and concepts that are difficult to understand. With the easy to understand or even the ones you have come to know before, you will develop enough momentum to tackle the more complex (not more difficult) ones.

As you start studying, seek clarification from those who know the subject more than you. Those who understand the subject and enjoy teaching are the best to go to for clarification and tutorial classes on the subject.

Take Exercises

A step to regaining your confidence in the subject is to take exercises on the aspects of the subject you find easy. This gives you the psychological feeling that this subject can be tackled. This feeling is essential for success in the remaining part of your steps towards tackling difficult subjects.

From the easy exercises, move to the complex ones until you can confidently answer questions from past questions on the subject matter.

Go for tutorial

Another step you should take towards tackling a subject you find difficult is by getting someone to teach you or attending tutorial. This gives you the opportunity to learn from someone who understands the subject and has the ability to impart the knowledge in you. It may cost money, but will pay you greatly. To resort to getting a machinery to write a subject you find difficult is a very foolish thing to do! I am sure you are bigger than that. You will cheat your brain and lose your respect in doing that! Exam malpractice erodes self confidence. (Please see the post, Exam Success Without Malpractice)

Avoid Negative Influences

Finally, please be careful to avoid those who find the subject difficult before they talk you into thinking that the subject is really difficult. Associate with those who understand and love the subject. I have found that when you listen to those that find a subject difficult, they will give you plenty reason why it is difficult. That way, belief that it is difficult is planted in your heart.

However, when you listen to those who do well in that subject, they show you how easy the subject is. In fact, some of them will use natural things you understand to help you understand the subject you find difficult. Some will go as far as teaching you for free because it’s fun. As an example, I like teaching anybody English or Biology even for free. In my opinion, these subjects are fun and easy to understand.

Pay the Sacrifice

Another thing to do is to give more time and attention on the subject you find difficult. This is needed to enable you learn it properly and adequately. It may require denial of trivial things like watching football matches and useless discussions. Devote more time so that you will be able to cover the required topics in the subject. Then, pay attention so that you can understand what you are studying.

What have I said so far?

In reality, no subject is difficult except the one you made difficult by your belief and failure to give it all that is required. You tackle subject you have accepted to be difficult by believing that it is not difficult (because no subject is truly difficult). Start effective study, take exercises, associate with the right people and seek assistance from those that have learnt the subject.