1, #124 - Proof you can do hard things

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Photo by Dan Cristian Pădureț on Unsplash

“When a precocious yet nonconformist teenager asks why they need to learn calculus, what should you say?

You know they will never use it in adulthood, outside of certain career choices.

You could say, “It’ll help you get into college,” but then they’re left wondering why college cares if you know calculus.

And once they’re in college, maybe you could say, “To get a good job,” but why would a potential hirer care how you did in multivariate calculus if your job doesn’t require any knowledge of calculus?”

I read this little thought experiment in an essay by Nat Eliason last year, but was thinking about it a lot this week. Nat points out that he personally skimmed by in school because he didn’t have a good answer, but later changed his mind:

“But I recently realized there is a very good reason to take Calculus. It’s to prove you can do hard things.”

The value of doing hard things, Nat says, is self-reinforcing and compounding. It builds your sense of identity as someone who expects to be able to overcome obstacles.

So, yes, all of this is a reason for students to challenge themselves academically—but it’s never too late:

“And if you’re not someone who knows they can do hard things, find a way to prove it to yourself. Build a habit, learn a skill, create something, whatever it is that turns your default stance on challenges from “that seems hard” to “I can figure it out.”

Create proof you can do hard things.”

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Insight via this essay by

Nat Eliason

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