why you should never say “i’m bad at maths”

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

If we keep telling ourselves we are bad at algebra, we will be demotivated to even try and become better at it. We will internalise the idea that no matter how much we try to improve our algebra we will always be bad. When we have this attitude, we don’t put in the effort to become better and so our initial belief comes true, as it requires self-belief and practice to become better. It is vital to catch ourselves when we start thinking in these negative ways as simply by our own negative beliefs about ourselves it can become our reality. It is far more productive and conducive to improvement if we tell ourselves “I’m struggling with maths, but with help and hard work I think I can improve”. By adopting this growth mindset, we will be able to overcome difficult situations and become better at things we once found difficult or even “impossible”.

BAD NOW, DOESN’T MEAN BAD FOREVER

We all start as beginners and so we shouldn’t be put off by struggling to learn something new for the first time. It is through practice and effort that we improve our abilities over time. Therefore, if we cannot solve a quadratic equation today, we might be able to solve it tomorrow, with practice.  Every successful businessperson, every great teacher, and every professional sports player struggled with something in their respective field. It is only through perseverance, diligence, and belief that they improved and became experts in their industries.

SUMMARY

So now we know why it is so important to stop telling ourselves and others that we are bad at maths as we are at risk of speaking it into existence. Not only this, but we won’t give ourselves a good chance at becoming better, and by maintaining a negative mindset we are a lot more likely to give up and do so quickly.