Daniel Wong

Raising Resilient Children: A Simple Tip That Works Wonders

Updated on January 6, 2026 By 4 Comments

resilient children

Every parent has been there before.

You worry that your children won’t be resilient enough to survive in the “real world” when they grow up.

Will they be able to handle disappointments? Will they develop a can-do attitude? Will they overcome their fears?

To prepare your children for the future, you encourage them to work hard. You try to teach them valuable life skills.

But when they meet setbacks, they sometimes falter. Maybe it’s a math test they didn’t do well on. Or a friendship that fell apart. Or a teacher who said something harsh.

They didn’t take it well. They might even have become withdrawn and unmotivated.

So you ask yourself…

How can I help my children to become more resilient?

A simple, effective tip for bringing up resilient children

And the tip is:

Share your challenges and struggles with your children, and explain to them what you’re doing to resolve the situation.

This might sound like a strange approach, but it’s effective.

Here’s why.

I’ve worked with 15,000 students so far. 95% of students tell me that their parents rarely talk about the challenges they face or the mistakes they’ve made. When their parents do talk about their challenges, it’s usually just to complain or to vent their frustrations.

As such, these children don’t understand what it means to tackle challenges head-on, or to iron out unpleasant situations in a mature, responsible way.

Children need to see real-life examples of this.

Who better to lead the way than you?

The key mindset that leads to success

So talk to your children about your challenges. These include complications at work, interpersonal conflicts, and any important decisions you’re about to make.

(Of course, if it’s an exceptionally serious issue that your children would be better off not knowing about, then please use your discretion.)

Outline the choices you’re confronted with. Tell your children how you feel: frustrated, confused, annoyed, hopeful.

Explain why you’ve decided to adopt a positive attitude, and describe how you’re proactively resolving the issue. This way, your children will understand that there’s always something you can do, no matter how futile the situation might seem.

Your children will cultivate a mindset of “Challenges are to be embraced,” rather than “Challenges are to be avoided.” They’ll take on more challenges, instead of shying away from them.

I’m sure you want your children to be successful. And if there’s one thing successful people love, it’s challenges!

3 reasons why you might ignore my advice (but why those reasons aren’t valid)

Right now, you’re probably thinking, “Daniel, this sounds good in theory. But I can’t bring myself to do it…”

Stop right there.

There are three main reasons why parents feel this way. I’ll list the reasons one at a time, and explain why they aren’t valid.

Reason #1: You’re afraid to show your children that you’re not perfect

I have bad news for you. Your children already know you’re not perfect.

Up until the age of five or six, your children looked up to you as Supermom or Superdad. But that all changed when they saw you tell a lie, use a curse word, or lose your temper.

As your children get older, you’ll gain their respect by being humble, not by trying to appear “perfect.”

When I was 13, my parents said something to me in anger, which they shouldn’t have. I felt hurt and troubled. But 30 minutes later, they apologized to me and asked for my forgiveness.

This incident happened years ago, but it still stands out to me as an example of how wonderful my parents are. Their humility made me respect them more, and taught me to take responsibility for my words and actions.

Similarly, when you share your challenges with your children, they’ll admire you for your openness and courage.

Reason #2: You’re afraid that if you talk about your mistakes, it will give your children the right to make mistakes

I’ve got more bad news for you. Your children are going to make mistakes, whether or not you tell them about your mistakes.

But you already knew that.

If you share what you’ve learned from your mistakes, however, your children will become wiser. As they watch you recover from mistakes and setbacks, they’ll begin to grasp this truth:

It’s impossible to be perfect, but it is possible to pursue excellence. The key to success is to focus on developing and improving, not just on achieving the ideal outcome.

When your children understand this, they’ll become more resilient.

Reason #3: It isn’t part of your family culture to be vulnerable

In other words, you’d feel awkward about being so open with your children.

But strong relationships are built on trust. And you can’t build trust without openness and honesty.

No matter what your family culture is like today, there’s always room to grow.

I’m not asking you to start by confessing to a catastrophic mistake you made that cost your company $10 million. Instead, you could share about something insensitive you said to a friend, but how you made amends. Or about your colleagues who spread untrue rumors about you, but how you kept your cool.

As the saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” So start small, and take it from there — one day at a time, one conversation at a time.

The bottom line

Raising resilient children is a complex topic, but this article outlines a practical tip you can use right away.

I encourage you to talk to your children about the challenges and problems you’re dealing with, and what you’re doing to overcome them.

Not only will this enable your children to become more resilient, it will also help you to build a stronger relationship with them. It will open up the lines of communication, and set the foundation of a happy, healthy family.

So think about one tiny incident you can share with your children. Decide when and where you’ll bring up the topic. Start by doing this once a month, then once every two weeks, then once a week.

Soon enough, it’ll become a habit.

Don’t be surprised when your children start telling you about how they’re confidently working through their own challenges!

When the day comes that your children are independent, mature and resilient, you’ll beam with pride.

But remember, it all begins with being open about your own struggles.

(If you haven’t already done so, make sure to download your free e-book below.)

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8 Truths That Successful Students Understand

Updated on January 6, 2026 By 15 Comments

Students

Through my work with more than 20,000 students so far, I’ve begun to see what separates successful students from not-so-successful ones.

And I’m not just talking about academic performance. I’m talking about their overall development, and their willingness to learn and grow, even through disappointments.

The key doesn’t lie in successful students’ innate intelligence or how many study tips they know.

Instead, the foundation of their success lies in their beliefs — the truths they take to heart.

These are the eight most important truths that successful students both understand and embrace:

1. Life is challenging

Many students expect life to be relatively easy. They know that hard work is important, but they don’t believe they’ll need to work that hard to get what they want.

For example, I once gave a talk to an auditorium filled with 18-year-old students. At the end of the talk, a student came up to me and said, “Thank you for the talk, Daniel! I’m feeling inspired. I’d like to ask you: What can I do to ensure that I find a fulfilling career in the future?”

After telling him that I appreciated his enthusiasm, I recommended that he start by reading two books, Do What You Are and What Color is Your Parachute?.

In an instant, a puzzled look washed over his face. He said dejectedly, “Oh, but I don’t like reading. I won’t be able to make it through two books…”

This student wanted to find a fulfilling career that would last him a few decades, but he wasn’t willing to read two books. Somehow, he believed that building a rewarding career shouldn’t take too much effort.

Unfortunately, this mindset is prevalent among students.

Successful students, on the other hand, understand that life is tough, but that overcoming challenges makes life more meaningful.

2. You can’t always choose your circumstances, but you can always choose your attitude

We all like to think that we’re in control of our lives. But there are so many aspects of our lives that are beyond our control. Of course, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan ahead and make wise decisions.

Successful students realize that they can’t control what mood their teacher is in, or what the weather will be like, or how hard next week’s math test will be.

But they recognize that they can always choose their attitude, and how they respond to the circumstances they’re confronted with.

3. Your education is your responsibility, not your parents’

It seems like many parents today take more of an interest in their children’s academics than their children do.

I’ve met parents who sit right next to their children to ensure that their children complete their homework. These same parents develop a complete studying schedule for their children to follow, because their children have become over-reliant on them.

Just last week, I got to know a family where the father is planning to quit his job so he can monitor his 15-year-old son’s schoolwork more closely.

I don’t doubt that these parents have good intentions. But whose education is it? Is it the parents’ or the children’s?

Successful students understand that their education is their responsibility.

Parents can help by not micromanaging their children. Instead, parents can set medium-term goals together with their children. Every two months or so, parents can give the school teacher a brief call to see how their children are progressing. If the children aren’t living up to their end of the bargain, then the parents can mete out appropriate consequences.

4. Life doesn’t revolve around you

Many students ask themselves, “What can my parents/family do for me?” instead of asking, “What can I do for my parents/family?”

In order for students to find long-term success, they must realize that they’re not the center of the universe.

It’s their social responsibility to show consideration for other people’s feelings and needs, especially those of their family members.

Only then can students begin to cultivate an attitude of service, where they focus on adding value to other people, instead of obsessing over their own desires.

5. Blaming others gets you nowhere

It’s easy for students (and adults too) to blame others. Do any of the following sound familiar?

  • “The teacher is too boring. That’s why I didn’t do well on the test.”
  • “My parents are too naggy. That’s why I’m always moody.”
  • “The lesson wasn’t engaging. That’s why I couldn’t pay attention.”

These complaints may be valid. But taking full responsibility for your education and your life means that you don’t blame other people for how you’ve been feeling, or the disappointments you’ve been experiencing.

Instead, successful students continually ask themselves this vital question: “What is one thing I can do right now to make the situation better?”

This enables them to focus on what they can control, instead of what they can’t.

6. Managing yourself is more important than managing your time

Students today face more distractions than ever before.

Texting. YouTube. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Blogs. Online games. And the rest of the Internet.

Students must learn to manage their time and their priorities, but they must first learn to manage themselves.

They must acquire the skills of eliminating distractions, fighting off temptations, and finding intrinsic motivation.

If they don’t, they won’t feel motivated to study, and they’ll succumb to the onslaught of entertainment options available to them 24/7.

7. You’re entitled to few things in life, if at all

80% of the students I work with have a strong sense of entitlement. They feel entitled to:

  • Use their home computer any time they wish
  • Own a smartphone
  • Have a messy room, if they so choose
  • Lead a comfortable life

They don’t grasp the fact that these aren’t entitlements; they’re privileges. And privileges aren’t given. They’re earned.

Successful students work hard to earn these privileges, knowing that they could lose these privileges if they’re not careful.

8. No one’s perfect, but there’s always room to improve

I’ve worked with a number of students who have unrealistic expectations of themselves, and who place an overwhelming pressure on themselves to perform.

These perfectionist tendencies (most common among those who are the first-born or who are an only child) can lead to serious psychological issues down the road, such as depression and suicidal thoughts.

So if you’re a parent reading this, don’t take it lightly if your child is a perfectionist.

But successful students realize that there’s no such thing as perfection.

They turn their attention away from achievements and the end result. Instead, they focus on improving and developing. They concentrate on the factors that are within their control: their effort and attitude.

Ironically, these students perform better by choosing not to focus on their performance.

The bottom line

If you want your children to become happy and successful, they must accept these eight truths. As parents, our role is to influence and inspire our children to understand these truths, and then live them out.

Is it an easy task? Definitely not.

But I’m convinced that it’s worth the effort. 🙂

3 Lessons I Learned From Not Being Able To Walk

Updated on January 6, 2026 By

Back pain - Photo courtesy of Jens Cramer

Three weeks ago, I suffered a terrible lower back injury while lifting weights.

(I was doing single leg deadlifts with bad form. Just in case you’re thinking of doing some single leg deadlifts yourself, here’s a link that teaches you how to perform them with proper form. Okay, random note over.)

I’m glad to say that I’m 95% recovered, but the past three weeks haven’t been fun.

I experienced a constant, sharp pain.

I couldn’t bend my back.

I couldn’t sleep because of the discomfort.

I had trouble even getting out of bed.

I could barely walk.

I spent most of my time at home either lying or sitting down.

How my wife made me feel like a 90-year-old

Man with a walking stick - Photo courtesy of Thomas Lieser

My wonderful wife, Michele, even had to put on my socks and shoes for me.

(I felt like a 90-year-old when she did that—don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything against elderly people—but I’m blessed to have such a patient and caring wife!)

One of the saddest things was that we were forced to cancel our honeymoon.

We’d planned to spend a week in Korea, but we figured that I wasn’t in any condition to travel. I’m sure we wouldn’t have enjoyed ourselves much if we’d spent all of our time cooped up in the hotel anyway.

An unfortunate turn of events, but of course I’ll take full responsibility for not performing the single leg deadlifts correctly in the first place.

But being immobile gave me time to think about what I could learn from the experience.

Here are three lessons I learned that I hope you’ll find helpful, regardless of whether or not you ever injure your back:

Lesson #1: Life is relationships, the rest is just details

That’s a quote from Dr. Scott Sticksel. It captures a truth that’s hard to fully wrap your head around, especially for someone like me.

I enjoy my work and I enjoy feeling productive. I like checking things off my to-do list, and I get plenty of satisfaction from finishing a task or completing a project.

You go-getters out there know what I’m talking about, right?

Purposeful work adds joy and meaning to our lives, but our work is just one aspect of who we are and of what makes for a significant life.

This back injury reminded me that the quality of our relationships largely determines the quality of our lives.

I’ve felt very loved over the past three weeks, particularly by my family, parents-in-law, and aunt-in-law.

Here are just some of the things they did for me:

  • Dropped by to see how I was doing
  • Cooked for me
  • Washed the dishes
  • Cleaned the house
  • Took out the trash
  • Gave me a massage
  • Drove me around
  • Got me an abdominal binder to speed up my recovery
  • Sent me encouraging text messages

I know, I know… I’m so lucky!

And to think that when I was growing up I didn’t even want to hang out with my family because I thought they weren’t “cool.” I wanted to spend all of my free time with my friends—that’s what the “cool” kids did.

But I’ve since grown a lot closer to my family, and to Michele’s family too. They serve as a continual reminder to me (especially through this recent episode) to intentionally invest in the relationships I value most.

Clichéd but true: Life is relationships, the rest is just details.

Lesson #2: What describes you shouldn’t define you

I’ve always been physically active. I played basketball competitively for many years; I was trained as a platoon commander in the army; I lift weights regularly; I enjoy activities like hiking, skydiving and bungee jumping.

Over the years, I subconsciously started to take pride in the fact that I was fitter and stronger than the average person.

I’m ashamed to admit that I began to feel better about myself when I saw people who were in worse physical shape than me.

But this conceited view of myself fell apart when I injured my back.

I turned into a weakling who could neither move around freely nor carry anything that weighed more than a couple of pounds. Like I’ve already mentioned, I even needed my wife’s help to put on my socks and shoes!

I felt both helpless and useless.

I realized that I’d allowed myself to become defined by my physical health, when that’s merely a trait that described me.

We’re described by our…

  • Physical health
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Occupation
  • Social status
  • Net worth
  • Marital status
  • Achievements

But we should be careful never to let any of these define us. If we do—in the same way that I did—we set ourselves up for disappointment in the long run.

We’re defined by these two things: our character and our commitments.

We’re defined by our values and our beliefs, and by how courageously and resolutely we live them out.

There’s no doubt that physical health matters, but it’s our character and commitments that are of lasting worth.

Lesson #3: Happiness is a battle

My back injury made it difficult for me to be happy.

Hey, I wrote a book called The Happy Student, so I work hard at being happy and discovering the keys to long-term happiness.

I’d be a hypocrite if I walked around with a frowny face all day long, right?

But my back pain was so continuous, so present, and so severe that it was a challenge for me to think of anything besides the pain.

That’s when I understood afresh that happiness isn’t an emotion; it’s a choice. More than that, it’s a battle—most of the time, an uphill one.

It’s a fact that life is tough, and it’s full of stress and struggle. It’s also a fact that anything worth achieving usually takes twice as much effort and twice as long as you’d initially estimated.

Does this mean we’ll never be happy?

Of course not. It just means that if you want to be happy—to have a good life, not just an occasional good day—then you’ll have to fight for your happiness.

Every time you choose to be grateful, choose to pay a sincere compliment, choose to look for opportunities amidst the problems, choose to give hope to someone in a seemingly hopeless situation… you’re winning the battle, one blow at a time.

Choosing to be habitually joyful is a decision of the will, a declaration of intentionality, an act of courage.

It’s a choice I’m still learning to make daily regardless of my circumstances, but I know it’s one we all need to embrace if we want to find enduring peace and fulfillment.

In closing…

I’m thrilled that I’ve almost fully recovered from the injury. Now when I pick up something from the floor or bend down to tie my shoelaces, I’m uncommonly thankful I can! I definitely won’t be taking my health for granted in the near future.

I’m even more thankful that I could learn these three lessons for myself and share them with you. Now you don’t need to injure your back to learn them. 🙂

10 Ways To Make The Most Of Criticism

Updated on January 6, 2026 By

online comment

online comment

online comment

online comment

These are just a few of the many nasty comments I’ve received from Yahoo! readers.

When I started blogging for Yahoo! last year, I didn’t have any idea that I would generate this much hatred!

(To be fair, I’ve also received lots of encouraging comments.)

Writing for Yahoo! has been a humbling experience, because I’ve never been the target of such intense criticism and negativity before.

At first, I felt upset about receiving this kind of feedback.

After all, I spend hours writing each article, and I sincerely want to add value to my readers. Moreover, I do all of this writing without getting paid a single cent.

Are you pushing your own buttons?

But I’ve come to realize that every time we feel offended or upset, it’s an indication that we have our own personal issues we need to address.

We lose our cool when our “buttons” are pushed, but we have to take full responsibility for these buttons in the first place.

Do we have insecurities we need to overcome? Are there things in our past that we have yet to deal with? What areas do we need to grow in?

Reflecting on my experience as a Yahoo! blogger, I’ve come up with 10 ways to deal with criticism.

Here they are:

1. Don’t take the criticism personally.

Understand that you’re not being attacked personally.

The critic just has an issue with your ideas or behaviour. It’s only when you refuse to take the criticism personally that you’ll be able to benefit from it.

2. Look for the truth in the criticism.

Take a step back from the situation and ask yourself which aspects of the criticism are valid. This will allow you to decide on the action steps you can take to develop yourself.

3. Wait before responding to the criticism.

It’s natural to feel angry when someone criticizes you. Take at least 15 minutes to cool off before you respond to the criticism.

If you respond immediately, it’s more likely that you’ll say something you’ll regret.

4. Learn that you don’t always have to be right.

Getting criticized reminds you that not everyone agrees with you. When you let go of your need to be right all the time, your mind will be opened to new perspectives and ideas.

5. Remember that it’s okay to have flaws.

No one is perfect, and that’s alright. Receiving criticism reminds you of this.

6. Work on your unresolved issues.

If you feel offended by the criticism, it’s a sign that you have other issues to work on.

Are you a people-pleaser? Do you have deep-seated fears? Do you have an anger management problem?

This is a great opportunity for you to pinpoint any unresolved issues you might have and get to work on addressing them.

7. Remind yourself that it’s only people who dare to try who will ever be criticized.

The way to prevent yourself from ever getting criticized is simple: Do nothing. Attempt nothing. Say nothing.

If you want to make a lasting difference in this world and to the people around you, you’re going be criticized, sooner or later.

This means that if you continually receive criticism, you’re on the right track!

8. Learn to forgive.

If you’ve been hurt by the criticism, learn to let go and to forgive the critic.

This way, you won’t carry around an unnecessary burden, and you’ll be able to make the most of the feedback.

9. Remind yourself that haters are going to hate.

No matter how solid your plan is, how innovative your idea is, how eloquent your speech is, how well-written your article is—there will be someone who has something negative to say.

Ignore the people who hate just for the sake of hating. There are plenty of such people out there.

10. Develop your personal definition of success.

Years ago, I wrote down my personal definition of success:

“Success to me is loving life and loving lives, constantly giving and constantly growing.”

Every time I feel discouraged, I refer to this and remind myself that as long as I’m living according to this definition, then I’m a success, regardless of what the critics say.

I encourage you to write down your own definition today and review it every time you receive negative feedback. This will allow you to see the criticism in a new light.

In closing…

I love this saying by Emil Rhodes: “No one ever built a statue to a critic.”

Instead, people build statues to those who dream big and dare to fail, those who dare to be criticized.

If we’re serious about developing ourselves and leading a meaningful life, we’re going to get criticized.

So let’s turn the criticism we receive from a stumbling block into a stepping stone to greater things!

Too Young to Make a Choice, Too Old to Make a Change?

Updated on January 6, 2026 By

puppy stuck in tree

Your parents love you a lot.

That’s why, when you were growing up, they probably made a lot of decisions for you:

  • What clothes you wore
  • Which schools you attended
  • What kind of sports and activities you participated in
  • Which friends you hung out with
  • Which toys you played with
  • Which TV shows you watched
  • What time you went to bed

As a kid, you naturally gave in to what your parents wanted you to do.

After all, they knew what was best for you.

(In this other article I wrote, I challenge the idea that parents want what’s best for their children. Most of the time, they only want what’s good.)

Feeling “stuck” when you’re young

I don’t doubt that parents have excellent intentions when they make choices on their children’s behalf.

But, very often, this is the message that gets communicated to their children:

“You’re too young to make a choice. You’re naïve and foolish, so I’ll make the choice for you.”

Many children grow up believing this message well into their late teens and early 20s. This is a problem.

At the end of the day, all of us need to take full responsibility for our lives. No matter how terrible or overbearing our parents are, we should never blame them for the way our lives turn out.

I don’t deny, however, that our parents have a huge impact on our lives.

The older you get, the more of your own choices you get to make, but many parents still act as if they should always have the final say.

Feeling “stuck” when you’re old

Some time in your late teens or early 20s, you start your first full-time job. You begin taking on a variety of responsibilities: financial, social, family.

Up until that point in your life, you might have felt like you were too young to make a choice.

With all these responsibilities and “adult” things to deal with, you experience a sharp transition.

You’re now too old to make a change.

“I can’t quit my job. If I do, what will happen to my mortgage payments?”

“If I start my own business and fail, how will I provide for my family?”

“If I don’t go down the ‘safe’ path, what will other people think of me? What will my parents think of me?”

Four beliefs to embrace if you want to get “unstuck”

This is a frustrating, painful and helpless situation that many young adults find themselves in.

There’s a way out, but it requires you to embrace these four beliefs:

1. If you want to find happiness and fulfillment, you must run your own race.

Many of us try to run the race that other people want us to run. If we do that, we effectively place our long-term happiness in another person’s keeping.

Clearly, not a good idea.

Running your own race means that you’re only competing against yourself, not against other people.

2. Being a winner isn’t about finishing first. It’s about finishing well.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me that how you finish matters more than how you start.

That’s true in any sort of race or competition, and it’s also true in life.

But being a real winner—one who experiences enduring success—isn’t about finishing first. It’s about finishing well and finishing strong.

It’s about leading a meaningful life that you can be proud of.

It’s about making a difference in the lives of others.

When you understand this, it won’t be so difficult to make changes later on in your life, because you won’t be overly concerned about getting “left behind” if your decisions don’t work out.

3. You’re never too old to dream a new dream.

Neither are you too old to set a new goal.

You won’t achieve every one of your goals, and you won’t realize every one of your dreams.

But joy and meaning are found in the pursuit—and not the attainment—of purposeful goals and dreams.

It’s an unfortunate fact that dreams do die. Choose to walk away from the disappointment and dream a new dream.

4. Being “stuck” isn’t a feeling. It’s a choice.

If you feel “stuck” but aren’t willing to take action to improve your situation, then you’ve chosen to be stuck.

When you start asking “How can I?” instead of “Can I?” you’ll begin to see that there’s always something you can do. There’s always a way out.

The solution may not be immediate, and it may not be easy. But it’s there for you to choose. So choose bravely and wisely.

In closing…

Contrary to how many of us feel as we mature from childhood to adulthood, we’re never too young to make a choice, and we’re never too old to make a change.

Life is too short and too full of wondrous potential for us to feel stuck.

Today, let’s make a choice and make a change.

(This post was inspired by Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho.)

What the Education System Can Teach Us About Doing Things Right

Updated on January 6, 2026 By

factory

Given that many of us go through 12 years or 16 years—or even longer than that—of formal education, it’s no surprise that most of us have strong feelings about the education system.

I’m no exception. It’s these strong feelings that compelled me to write a book entitled The Happy Student: 5 Steps to Academic Fulfillment and Success, which aims to help students find new meaning and motivation in the pursuit of academic success.

The public education system as a factory

The public education system today, as it exists all over the world, is a relic of the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th century.

It was during the Industrial Revolution that many factories were built. Large numbers of factories meant that large numbers of workers were needed.

It was a specific type of worker that was required—one who was obedient, compliant, and who didn’t do too much thinking for him or herself.

In order to efficiently produce workers like this, students were treated like a commodity. Public education was the “factory”; the obedient worker was the “product.”

The “factory” concept of public education is still around today.

Students are brought to the start of the assembly line at age 6 (or even younger), and the “product” is expected to be completed by their late teens or early 20s.

Students are “processed” in batches. Quality control is done in the form of exams and standardized tests.

In addition, the factory largely determines what kinds of products can be manufactured: engineers, doctors, lawyers, economists, teachers, technicians, etc.

No product that’s too weird or out-of-the-ordinary, please!

Education needs a revolution too

The Industrial Revolution was a world-changing phenomenon that made it necessary for public education to be set up as a one-size-fits-all factory.

But times have changed. The Digital Revolution means that gradual, evolutionary changes in education simply won’t cut it.

We need a revolution in education, too.

We need people who are persistent, proactive and passionate—but we’re not going to develop people who possess those traits through our current system.

By and large, people who are persistent, proactive and passionate have become that way despite the “factory” model of education, not because of it. They’ve overcome the odds!

The whole point of this article

I’m no expert on education policy, but I know that things have to change.

The “factory” model was founded on the following principles:

  • It’s easy to run
  • It’s easy to administer
  • It’s easy to quantify results

My whole point is this: Easier isn’t always better. Not when it comes to the education system, and not when it comes to our personal lives.

Let’s choose the better way, regardless of whether or not it’s easier.