It’s finals week again, which means it’s time for me
to let you in on this quarter’s tailored justification for
not studying or working on that paper.
I hate to overhype this quarter’s excuse, but I think it
just may be the best I’ve ever thought up.
I recommend trying it out on friends, family and even
open-minded professors. It goes a little something like this.
I’m here at college to learn, right? Everything I do here,
whether it’s going to class, talking to professors, getting
an internship, hanging out with friends ““ whatever ““
it’s really all just about learning something.
I’ve learned my lesson about getting good grades.
I’m pretty familiar with what it feels like to get an A.
It’s rewarding to get someone’s approval. It builds
self-esteem. I feel I’ve accomplished something. The hard
work pays off.
To be honest, though, it has kind of lost its pizzazz. I did
well ““ they know it, I know it. I just don’t think
I’m learning anything new from the good-grade
“experience.”
I’ve decided it’s time to challenge myself again.
It’s time to start expanding my experience to different types
of grades. I want to experience more of what the grading spectrum
has to offer.
Specifically, I want to learn what it feels like to fail.
If I can’t learn to fail in college, when the stakes are
still relatively low, how will I deal with failure in the real
world? How will I ever learn to take risks in the future when my
career is on the line?
These two questions here at the end ““ they’re the
real kicker. You’ll find it’s hard for people to argue
with someone who seems to have that much perspective on his or her
own life.
Just to be safe, I’ve included a short list of geniuses
who took the time to familiarize themselves with failure.
According to PBS, Albert Einstein, perhaps the most influential
person of the 20th century, struggled learning to speak, and
dropped out of school in Germany, later finishing high school in
Italy.
Before “Seinfeld” became a huge success and creator
Larry David became $200 million richer, he spent over 10 years as a
struggling stand-up comedian in New York City.
Film director Robert Altman, who received this year’s
Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oscars, has always flirted with
failure. He’s famous for throwing out a film script and
instead letting the actors create dialogue through improvisation,
often changing the story as they go.
With the risk comes greatness.
If your friend, parent or professor isn’t buying it, just
find a way to organically bring up one of these successful
failures.
Then swing the story over your head and let it loose, making
sure to bend the truth wherever necessary.
Got a success story rooted in failure? E-mail Macdonald at
jmacdonald@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to
viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.