In my recent posts about the Olympics, I wrote about how I believe that the quality of resilience is the most important one to possess, not just for the Olympians, but for you as well.
Even if you did not watch the Games, or were much more interested in the competition than in the athletes and their challenges, the lesson of their resilience is a good reminder that no matter the challenges you face, you, too, can be resilient. Now that the Olympics have ended and the Paralympics are taking place, even more resilience is on display, along with incredible perseverance and tenacity. Though the Paralympians have similar challenges to the Olympians when it comes to the time and commitment it takes to prepare to compete and the added burden of dealing with COVID restrictions at these particular Games, they have very different challenges as well. Persevering through whatever circumstances led to their being eligible for the Paralympics and having the tenacity to reach for the Paralympics in spite of every obstacle life has thrown at them clearly wasn’t easy, but just as the Olympians do, they, too, can serve as examples of how working hard and striving to reach your goals can pay off.
As you work to become more resilient through the development of your study skills, as well as through whatever challenges you face in life, keep in mind that behind every amazing achievement you witness, there is a person with a story. Everyone has faced challenges and had obstacles to overcome, whether you are aware of them or not. For many of the Paralympians, these challenges and obstacles seemed nearly insurmountable until they discovered the outlet and opportunity that sports could offer them to find a purpose and set goals that they could strive to achieve. Even though their sports are adapted to their needs, they are able to compete at a high level, just as athletes without disabilities do. If you are someone who struggles to accept any of the accommodations and modifications you require to complete your work, or to see that work as a reflection of the effort you put in and not the assistance you receive, you can look to the Paralympians for the inspiration to believe that your efforts really do make a difference in your success. The Paralympians may be competing in adapted sports, but they train and prepare as if they weren’t. If you start to see your need to develop your study skills the way they see their training, and remember that all students, not just those with challenges, increase their ability to succeed by utilizing study skills, you might just find that you are more willing to work on them, which in turn will allow you to see greater success with them.
Though sports is a great outlet for the Paralympians, they are about much more than their sports, their journey to the Paralympics, and their disabilities. Hearing about their other interests, their families and friends, their educations, and their jobs and careers is a good reminder that just as they do not wish to be defined solely by their disabilities, so you should not let anyone define you solely by your educational challenges, whether they are identified disabilities or not. Developing other interests, whether in or out of school, spending quality time with family and friends, and recognizing the strengths you have that can lead to a future career are all ways you can see that you are more than your challenges. The more you see it, and the more you put yourself out there, the more others will see it, too.
On the flip side, recognizing that your challenges are a part of who you are is just as important as not letting them be all that defines you. While some Paralympians wish that all our focus would be on their athletic achievements and outside interests, and none at all would be on their disabilities, others are more than willing to talk about the causes of their disabilities and how they were affected by them. For some, it helps to talk about it, while others understand that viewers have a genuine interest in all that they have overcome to be where they are. Though you might not always wish to talk about your learning challenges, especially in detail, and it is certainly not necessary for you to purposefully bring them up all the time, refusing to talk about them when someone who asks is being genuine or not speaking up when you need to advocate for yourself is not the answer, either. As with many study skills I have written about, sharing your story and/or advocating for your needs are things that require the proper balance. Being as comfortable as you can be with sharing your challenges is important, but so are the time and place. Just as the Paralympians have their own ideas about how much of their stories they wish to share on national television, so I’m sure that those who share less in public find the right time and place to share their stories in private, and the right people to share them with, or they would not have made it to the Paralympic stage.
No matter the challenges you face, both in and out of school, striving to persevere and becoming more resilient in the process can go a long way toward increasing your chances of success. Building the resilience you need to face any challenge, not only on your study skills journey, but in your life as well, takes time, effort, and hard work, but it is well worth it. Resilience plays an important role in the lives and successes of the Paralympians, and they also have the tenacity to reach for their goals and not let go despite seemingly impossible odds. Striving to become more resilient as you work to develop your other study skills, and having the perseverance and tenacity to hold on when success seems far out of reach, can help you better face and overcome challenges, just as the Paralympians do.