The Secret to Student Success Arel Moodie TEDxYouth ClintonSquare

So, what if told you you've been lied to your whole life? What if told you that what you've been told since you were kid about what it takes to become successful is completely wrong? What if told you that you did not have to be so many of the things you thought you did? Now, you've been lied to. And just for clarity, you weren't lied to by your teachers, by your parents, by the adults in your life because they hate you. You've been lied to because they were just misguided. For example, what if told you you do not have to be smart to be successful? There are bunch of really not smart people doing very well. But this is what we're told ever since we're younger. We want to be in smart class, don't we? Have you ever heard teacher say something like this to maybe you or one of your classmates? Wow, you finished your work really, really quickly. You must be really smart. Do you know what's being said and implied in that statement? What's being implied is if it takes you long time to do something, then you are not smart. So when we're younger, if we come up to an obstacle, we don't go, this is awesome." We go, "Well, don't want people to know I'm not smart." But as adults, we all know that anything worth doing takes lot of time. But we keep saying, "You got to be smart." Now will prove to you that being smart is not precursor to success with simple question. How many of you know someone you know someone who's really really smart? But they're not doing anything productive with how smart they are. Does anyone know someone like that? All of us. So being smart, that can't be what it is. good news. You know what else? You don't need to be talented. talent completely overrated. We talk about talent. you're you're going to go so far. You have so many natural abilities. You're so gifted. Doesn't mean anything. And I'll prove it to you with the same question just asked you few moments ago. How many of you know someone want you to really think who is really, really talented. Maybe they're amazing poet or musician or artist or whatever it is, but they're not doing anything to the level they should with the natural talent that they have. Does anyone know someone like that? So, wait minute, hold on, hold on. This doesn't make sense. Wait minute. So, we all know someone who is smart. We all know someone who's talented that's not doing anything. So, it can't be smart. Intelligence, talent, gifts. And by the way, it's also not being born into the right family, being born rich, or any of those things. It's one thing that nobody can give to you. It's the only thing you can give to yourself that makes the biggest difference. And that word is effort. Effort is everything. Whatever you're not good at, with the right amount of effort, you become good at it. Now, this whole concept was very fascinating to me because when grew up in the projects in Brooklyn, New York, was in the smart class in elementary school. was in the top class. And you know what? We all knew we were in the top class. and to make it even better, does anyone remember the days when you didn't even have to study for test and you got good grades? loved it. And everyone kept telling me, "Oral, you're so smart." And was like, am smart." Until hit junior high. And then all of sudden, became really dumb. The craziest thing happened. And would be in class and the teachers would be talking and I'd be like, "You ever have that face where on the outside you look like you're 100% paying attention, but on the inside you have no idea what's been happening." mastered that. But couldn't ask for help because was the smart kid. Because if asked for help, it would prove didn't grasp things quickly. So therefore, I'm not smart. Dr. Dr. John Medina in his work of brain rules and brain rules for babies talks about when we connect our concept of who we are to innate abilities we have no control over we don't become successful but when we attach them to things like hard work and effort we control those but didn't know that then. So did like what thought was the right thing to do and just shut my mouth and it went on into high school and high school got way worse. started failing and was not science person. Where are my people? Science, chemistry, biology. It's just not your thing. Like look at it and you just might as well be speaking different language. Where are the people? Math. You just suck at math. Like it's just not going to be good experience, right? got you. was with that. Okay. So, for me, science was my hard subject. And failed. and was told wouldn't be able to graduate unless passed my science classes. So now I'm facing not being able to graduate, having no skills or talents that could know of. In fact, played three sports in high school and sat on the bench on all three of them. So my professional athlete goes out the window. was in tough environment. witnessed people get murdered. I've been robbed, beat up, made fun of. And thought, have no future. What's the point? So when was 16, thought it'd be better to be dead than to be alive because what was the point? So when was 16, went to the roof of my building. stood on the roof and looked down. And imagine what it would feel like to not have to deal with the pain that had inside of me. Cuz what was the point, not smart, not talented? Luckily, stepped back from the ledge that day cuz heard this still voice inside of me. And all it said was, "Not yet." And this voice had to come from being much greater than me because again, I'm not smart enough to think this on my own. So with that thought of not yet, went back into my room. was just depressed. And am lucky to have people who care about me. have an amazing mother, awesome brother, fantastic father. And my father saw me. He said, "Get up. We got to go for ride." It's like, "All right." We jump in his car. He starts driving. He takes me to this beautiful neighborhood that never seen before. It was only like 15, 20 minutes from our house. And he says, "You see this house? You see these cars?" He said, "One day if you want it, you can have these things." you know, because as teenager, we, you know, success is the big house and the big car, right? And was like, yo, there's no way I'm going to be able to have these things. And then he said something to me that changed the course of my life. What he said was, we were all given the problems we were supposed to be given so that we can face them, overcome them, and that's where we become the person we were meant to be. He said what most people do is they face their problems and then they go, this is proof don't deserve it. This is proof I'm not supposed to have it. Look at these problems in my life." So they quit. He said, "When you put in effort, you get to the other side. And on the other side is where the magic happens. That's where success comes from." So started getting excited. said, "Well, how could apply this in my life?" And was like, "What better place to apply it then than with science?" So, went to my chemistry teacher and said, "Look, I'd like to graduate. I'm not going to graduate. Can't pass this class. I'll make deal with you. If can pass the final exam, you give me passing grade in the class." Because the final final exam was cumulative. She said, "Deal." So, started doing some strange things. During lunch, would go to tutoring and would work with my tutor, understand concepts before went home, before left school. would do the more would do more tutoring. Then on my way to school and from school, would get practice problems and would go over the practice problems every single day to and from school. The craziest thing happened after did that for few months. passed the class, passed the test, and graduated. So from there, decided to sneak into college. like to say snuck into college because went to the college that my brother got accepted to because he's smart. got in and said, "Listen, I'm not going to be the smartest student. By no means. I'm not going to be the most talented student. It's impossible. So, how am going to succeed here? made decision early on that was just going to outwork everyone because I'm not smart. I'm not smart. I'm not talented. So, if was in class and didn't understand something, would raise my hand until got it. would go to office hours and meet with the professor to make sure understood the concepts, not just when the tests were coming out. would meet with the teachers assistants to go over the course curriculum to make sure understood it from that particular professor's perspective. never handed in paper without second set of eyes looking at it. met up with all the smart kids in class. And by the way, you want to find the smart kids, they sit in the front, they got highlighters. Make friends with them. Okay? made friends with them and studied in groups with them. And the funniest thing happened. Out of 16,000 students, was named one of the top five exemplary students. This is me back in the day when had hair. like to call it the glory days, right? was an educational opportunity program student, EOP student at Bigington University. Yes. Yes. was named the most outstanding graduating senior in my class, president of four student organizations. When graduated, applied the same concepts to my entrepreneurship endeavors and my businesses. So, if ever dealt with problem like don't know how to manage people, I'm not good at it. would change it to just need to put more effort into managing people and would get good at it. And it's amazing because started traveling to high schools and colleges and sharing this idea of effort and effort is everything. And an amazing thing happens now. We have shared language. The students have language they can communicate to the teachers and the teachers have language they can communicate to the students. So no longer is it, I'm just dumb in math. Look, got bad grade. It becomes, got bad grade. guess need to put in more effort in math. Teachers, instead of saying, hey, better luck next time, they can say, hey, you didn't get good grade. we just need to do more effort. Let's figure it out. The language became created and it's mindset that moves away from this natural innate ability and move it to something we can control. Cow Dwek has great book called mindset which talks about growth mindset and fixed mindset. Growth mindset says can learn and do anything. Fixed mindset says everything got already got. It's not going to get better. believe and many educators do that the growth mindset is the way to success. And believe the pathway to the growth mindset is effort. Effort is everything. And you've experienced this. How many people remember what it was like to learn how to tie your shoes? Does anybody remember this? Have you ever seen little kid trying to tie their shoes? It's the most frustrating process in the world. Your fingers won't do what your mind's telling it to do. You can't get the bunny ears just right. And then you take your shoe, you throw it out the window, you be like, just wear Velcro and you just be done with it, right? Just me and Tom shoes for the rest of my life, right? But the funny thing happens. You don't give up. You believe it's possible one day and you keep doing it. And then something happens. Your brain clicks. And now I'm confident most of you can tie your shoelaces in the dark because of effort. No one's born naturally gifted at tying your shoes. You get that? No one is born naturally smart at the ways of tying shoes. You put in effort, you learn, you get it. That neuroplasticity of the brain does not go away. Barring healthy functioning brain, of course. You have to move from this idea that you have to be naturally good at something to succeed at it. You don't. You have to put in effort. Effort is everything. effort is more important than where you're born. It's more important than the money you have in your bank account. So, have full confidence that if ever lost it, and God willingly don't, what have, my effort will see me through. You're not good at math, start putting effort towards math. You're not good at science, start putting effort towards science. You want to start business, put an effort into starting business. You want great marriage, put in the effort to have great marriage. People think, "Well, if it's supposed to be, it's just gonna happen." No. If it's supposed to be, you're going to put in the effort to make it be. There's great quote that love from Thomas Edison that says, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it's dressing overalls and it looks like work." With effort, you'll take advantage of every opportunity that's in front of you. Effort is everything. And when you put in effort, not only will you take advantage of the opportunities that's in front of you, you'll take advantage and create opportunities you didn't even know existed. Thank you.