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Before proceeding, I would highly recommend checking out the first two portions of this lesson - as it builds off of those articles' core fundamentals. Doing so will allow you to obtain the most value out of this experience. Check them out here: Part 1 and Part 2
As you progress through your journey, you should certainly strive to play the best hand possible – to utilize all available unfair advantages and opportunities. They can drastically improve your odds and provide the foundation for a thriving success; however, it is important to recognize that your destiny is dictated more by HOW you play those cards. Your life is not tied to one sole fate – either predetermined success or failure. Rather, your actions are continually writing and influencing your final outcome, and, thus, it’s always possible to form a more desirable ending. Remember: "Success doesn't come to you; you go to it". |
As we have discovered in this series’ previous lessons (check them out here before proceeding: Part 1 and Part 2), success is usually misconstrued as a quality inherent at birth – something that is elegantly delivered on a silver platter. However, all research and success stories provide a different narrative more aligned with reality. They dictate that success is the culmination of consistent work, dedication, and continual improvement – a result that is personally earned, not effortlessly obtained. Although our examples so far have certainly bolstered this assertion, they definitely do not discount the idea that unfair advantages and opportunities may, indeed, fuel an individual’s success too. In fact, they are usually the initial catalysts of success; they provide the foundation upon which an individual can grow and develop – an inviting path towards mastery. But what happens if a person strays from this path and fails to further develop that initial foundation? Those unfair advantages and opportunities then amount to nothing spectacular; they may offer the potential for success but still require consistent action to flourish into anything special. This is why no one is cut from a different cloth but may be woven into a beautiful tapestry – given sufficient time, effort, and dedication. So, as you progress through your journey, you should certainly strive to play the best hand possible – to utilize all available unfair advantages and opportunities. They can drastically improve your odds and provide the foundation for a thriving success; however, it is important to recognize that your destiny is dictated more by HOW you play those cards. Your life is not tied to one sole fate – either predetermined success or failure. Rather, your actions are continually writing and influencing your final outcome, and, thus, it’s always possible to form a more desirable ending. This will be an underlying theme prevalent in all examples explored below.
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Of these unfair advantages, a person’s culture can greatly influence his or her success in numerous activities. This is due to the fact that culture shapes our general paradigms and approaches towards life. In essence, your culture is similar to a pair of glasses; it filters information that enters your consciousness and dictates how your perceptions are formed. Since our perceptions also aid us in interacting with the world, this process then influences our actions and performance, which are directly tied to success. Similarly, all cultures also offer different tools and assets – such as languages, customs, philosophies, religions, etc. Thus, in certain areas, some of these assets are bound to be more conducive towards success than others. They offer the initial support and foundations upon which a person can flourish and easily obtain success. However, again, it is imperative to realize that birth into a specific culture does not entail inevitable success or failure. Specific paradigms may certainly unlock a clear path towards success, but you must still choose to walk it with perseverance; an option without inclination and action becomes nothing more than a temporary diversion. Thus, in the end, all unfair advantages require time, effort, and dedication to eventually flourish into success. Similarly, the perceptions shaped by culture may be influential but are certainly not indefinitely permanent; one may gradually peel away the influential layers of any culture – just as a person can take off glasses to see the world differently. So, if cultural tendencies are not conducive for specific tasks, you are not barred from overcoming inadequacies and rising up towards success. It’s always possible to change and improve, but attaining the same level of success as your peers may require substantially more effort. You will have to forge your own way and struggle through thick brush, while your peers walk a more direct route towards the same goal.
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In the long run, your culture is similar to a pair of glasses; it filters information that enters your consciousness and dictates how your perceptions are formed. Since our perceptions also aid us in interacting with the world, this process then influences our actions and performance, which are directly tied to success. Similarly, all cultures also offer different tools and assets – such as languages, customs, philosophies, religions, etc. Thus, in certain areas, some of these assets are bound to be more conducive towards success than others. They offer the initial support and foundations upon which a person can flourish and easily obtain success. However, in the end, any initial foundations still requires time, effort, and dedication to eventually flourish into success. |
Contrary to popular belief, most Asians are not just born as innate geniuses; rather, they simply utilize smart tools tailored towards mathematics. For example, compared to western languages, those found in Asian cultures follow consistent numbering patterns which streamline mathematical operations; they are simply more conducive for succeeding in mathematical endeavors. |
These ideas are perfectly exemplified by an age-old, cultural question. Why do you suppose that Asians generally tend to excel at mathematics; is there some unique, mysterious trait hidden in their genes which magically enhances their abilities? Contrary to popular belief, most Asians are not just born as innate geniuses; rather, they simply utilize smart tools tailored towards mathematics. For example, compared to western languages, those found in Asian cultures follow consistent numbering patterns which streamline mathematical operations. Furthermore, unlike western languages, Asian languages do not require their users to first translate numbers into mental constructs; the mathematics can be performed directly from the spoken language. For instance, in English, some numbering schemes defy the norm – as evidenced by eleven and twelve. A foreigner would naturally expect those numbers to be “oneteen” or “twoteen”, given patterns in the “teens”. As a result, extra mental energy must first be invested in translating eleven into its mental construct/symbol of 11. Then, once mathematical operations are performed, the mental construct must be translated back into its lingual equivalent – which is a very cumbersome system.
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This translation process is completely avoided in the Asian languages, which offers a great advantage. For example, most use a consistent scheme conducive for arithmetic – such as one-ten-two, two-ten-three, five-ten-four (which corresponds to 12, 23, and 54). With this system, one could simply add up the numbers directly from the language itself: one-ten-two + two-ten-three = three-ten-five; there is no need for the cumbersome translation process found in English. Similarly, from a lingual perspective, a lot of other mathematical concepts are also streamlined – such as fractions. In the Asian system, 3/5 is expressed literally as three-out-of-five, which exactly captures the underlying concept. However, the English system unnecessarily complicates this idea by expressing 3/5 as three-fifths. Gone is the underlying concept driving the idea; one is forced to first understand this system before using it, making the learning process much more involved. As a result, during developmental stages, American children often struggle with mathematics, while Asian children thrive. Furthermore, it is much easier for Asian students to persevere and reach higher levels of understanding – as they are not forced to learn unnecessary systems. So, in this sense, Asian proficiency in mathematics is not necessarily an indication of superiority; they are not outliers born with innate abilities. Instead, their ability to excel at mathematics is more a product of culture and hard work.
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Due to their language's cumbersome number system, American children often struggle with mathematics, while Asian children thrive. Furthermore, it is much easier for Asian students to persevere and reach higher levels of understanding – as they are not forced to learn unnecessary systems. So, in this sense, Asian proficiency in mathematics is not necessarily an indication of superiority; they are not outliers born with innate abilities. Instead, their ability to excel at mathematics is more a product of culture and hard work. |
Mathematics is actually quite unique. It is more of an active subject rooted in problem solving and adaptive thinking; one can not excel by passively memorizing and regurgitating information. As a result, the key ingredients for mathematical success are persistence and determination. Most of the time, solutions are certainly not immediate results; they are only obtained by sticking to the problem, digging further, and actively thinking through all setbacks. |
Now, when compared to most subjects taught in schools, mathematics is actually quite unique. It is more of an active subject rooted in problem solving and adaptive thinking; one can not excel by passively memorizing and regurgitating information. As a result, the key ingredients for mathematical success are persistence and determination. Most of the time, solutions are certainly not immediate results; they are only obtained by sticking to the problem, digging further, and actively thinking through all setbacks. Unfortunately, these qualities are usually absent from most cultures; people are not conditioned to persevere, and, hence, they tend to find mathematics very difficult. In this sense, the prevalent struggle with mathematics is not an issue of intellect or ability; rather, it can be traced back to an unwillingness to persist. On the other hand, Asian cultures actually value perseverance, dedication, and pure hard work - which certainly aids in performing mathematics.
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This fact is elegantly captured through their agricultural system - especially when compared to other nations'. Unlike most civilizations, Asian cultures have always relied on rice - which is a particularly difficult crop to maintain. In order to thrive, a rice plantation requires the following: soil with the proper acidity, the appropriate level of water above the plantation, a level foundation, etc. As a result, failure to properly maintain a rice plantation can quickly lead to its demise, and rice farmers have to pay close attention to the smallest details to ensure a successful harvest. This is quite different from agriculture in most nations - which usually focus on corn, wheat, or grain crops. To maintain these crops, hard work is still certainly required, but it is usually done up front; the farmer must first fertilize the soil and plant the seeds. However, once these initial tasks are complete, the remaining work is not as demanding. The farmer may have to water the crops and ward off potential threats, but the required work is miniscule when compared to that demanded by a rice plantation. Thus, in order to survive, Asians have been conditioned to persevere in the face of all odds, and such a quality has become the cornerstone of their cultures. They believe that "no one who can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich", and responsible action is tied completely to all results. They do no leave their outcomes to chance like most nations, which believe that "if God does not bring it, the earth will not give it". As a result, it is not surprising that most Asians stick to challenges and persevere towards solutions; their proficiency in mathematics is more an expression of cultural perceptions than an innate ability. It is the result of a cultural foundation developed through dedication, hard work, and concerted effort.
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Asians have been conditioned to persevere in the face of all odds, and such a quality has become the cornerstone of their cultures. They believe that "no one who can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich", and responsible action is tied completely to all results; they do no leave their outcomes to chance like most nations. As a result, it is not surprising that most Asians stick to challenges and persevere towards solutions; their proficiency in mathematics is more an expression of cultural perceptions than an innate ability. It is the result of a cultural foundation developed through dedication, hard work, and concerted effort. |
Success is hardly ever the sole manifestation of luck and natural talent; rather, it's always been a quiet, long process of repetition - the culmination of consistent development. So, realize that it's not about the cards you were dealt but HOW you play them; any situation - regardless of its own setbacks and inadequacies - may be developed into whatever you desire. If you can master this mindset, the world will be yours. You will be the master of your own domain - a creator with no limitations. |
As with our previous examples, we once again find that looks can be deceiving. Success may seem like acts of grandeur on the surface, but, once dissected, any success story always leads back to the same elements: dedication, perseverance, and hard work. It is hardly ever the sole manifestation of luck and natural talent; rather, it's always been a quiet, long process of repetition - the culmination of consistent development. In the case of Asian proficiency in mathematics, the story is no different. They are not born as prodigy mathematicians; however, their cultures certainly offer unfair advantages which streamline success. In essence, Asian languages and mindsets are more conducive towards mathematical aptitude. They offer a foundation which supports the development of mathematical skills, but that foundation still requires concerted effort to develop into greatness. So, as you navigate through your own personal journeys, remember the underlying theme inherent in these lessons: no one is cut form a different cloth, but we can all weave our lives into a beautiful tapestry - a life worth living. Furthermore, we may expedite the process by identifying opportunities, implementing them into our experiences, and fueling them with perseverance. So, realize that it's not about the cards you were dealt but HOW you play them; any situation - regardless of its own setbacks and inadequacies - may be developed into whatever you desire. If you can master this mindset, the world will be yours. You will be the master of your own domain - a creator with no limitations.
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