When I was young, I felt very bad about not being a better student. I felt bad about not being able to force myself to do the mental ditch-digging necessary to acquire skill in things–to make myself practice, practice, practice. Studying for exams or doing homework was always such a chore for me. I had always envied my friends with their worker-ant-like duty and devotion to bettering themselves.
As I got older and came to understand myself and world a little better, I learned to feel better about myself. In spite of my general mental laziness, I have still managed to become fairly intelligent about things in my own unique way. I’ve since learned that there are advantages to being a dabbler and a jack of all trades, rather then a good study and an in-depth expert. The world needs both.
Still I am quite intrigued by news that research has found a way to isolate the biochemical tendency towards diligence in monkeys. Is ambition in pill form far behind? Will students start abusing these to crack down before exams?