Tag: competition

What Creates Success?

Posted on by SrilekhaC

This week in English class, we just started reading the book Outliers. I just got to the end of Chapter Two, The Ten-Thousand Hour Rule, and I can’t say that I haven’t enjoyed it. Quick English class tip for high school students- use an audio book and read along. It helps so much with understanding what is going on in the book and although it takes more time, it will significantly help your comprehension.

Anyways, Outliers really connected to me, even after just reading two chapters. Some of my friends thought it was boring, and some thought it was super interesting, and then I started to think about it. Do I really agree with what the book is saying. That preparation and opportunity matters a lot more than we think for success. That we don’t live in a world based on meritocracy, but a world in which luck matters almost equally with talent.

I’m really indifferent at this point, especially after reading Chapter Two. I agree with the idea and statement that our world is absolutely not a meritocracy. I despise and disagree with the statement that I perceived in Chapter Two- Success only comes to people who work hard.

And like Malcolm Gladwell, I have my own examples and theories that make complete sense to me. But will it make sense to you?

My school has a very competitive environment, especially in the music department. We all work our butts off in band to try to make honors, some more than others. Unfortunately, most of us never make it to the top. After hours of practicing, most of us, by sophomore year, have given up. This is contradictory to Gladwell’s claim that practice and preparation ultimately give rise to a successful elite. An example within our band environment can also be seen back in eighth grade, during middle school. It was an equally competitive environment, thus leading to only a couple people being at the very top of the competition. In the Fall, the region holds a region band competition, leading to the top of the pack in one ultimate band filled with prestige. I competed and made it past the first round but ended up three away from actually making a band. Unlike me, two of my friends made the bands. One, who claims she started practicing two weeks before the audition, made top band. The other made the second band and had been practicing for months.

This example clearly indicates that sometimes it isn’t about how many hours you put in, but also how much talent you simply have. So what ultimately makes success? A whole mix of things. Luck, preparation, talent, love, kindness, opportunity, intelligence, and so much more, and some of which, Gladwell does address.

Successful people aren’t made in one day, or even a year. It takes time, starting from the day we were born. The moment in which we entered the world, we were introduced to an environment where we would grow and learn. A school in which we would make friends and become smarter. A home in which we would be disciplined and loved. A library to learn, a movie theater for entertainment. A world for passion.

And the most passionate of us, the most balanced, the most determined, the most brave will rise above all and influence the world for the better.

That is success.

My Flute Journey

Posted on by SrilekhaC

I started playing the flute in fifth grade, and you’d figure I’d be really good at it by now. But here, in Austin, there are so many good musicians that sometimes I can’t help but think, did I fail? I didn’t start out here in fifth grade, I lived in Michigan and obviously the music education there was quite different. Not to say substandard, but definitely not as emphasized as here in Austin. But I’ve got to say, fifth and sixth grades were the most fun I’ve had actually playing my flute. As soon as I moved here in seventh grade, a couple things happened.

1- There were a lot more people who were clearly better than me. They had been taught by the best of the best, and I… I never had a private lesson teacher much less a natural talent. Everything I played, I had to put blood, sweat, and tears into. I’m not saying everyone else didn’t do that, but I felt like I was working so hard only to get no results, or substandard results that were worse than everyone elses’.

2- Competition became much more important. I never thought that I would be fighting over a chair. Okay that sounds ridiculous, but in the music world, chairs indicate how good you are within a band compared to the others in your instrument section. I’ve been in last, I’ve been in first, second, third, fifth. I’ve been there. I’ve felt extreme ecstasy at knowing for once I was the best, and jealousy for the first who gets all of the solos, and just plain sadness and discomfort when I was last. Knowing you’re the worst is the worst.

Throughout my musical fluting journey, I’ve not only made these observations, but I’ve also learned so much. I learned how to act and react in difficult situations, and how to use my skills to help me in other subjects. Learning music has helped me learn real life skills much more than I can say for my math class. I’m glad that I chose to stick with my instrument, but I can’t help but wonder, if I had quit and taken those electives and courses I wanted, if I had not taken the double blocked band course, what would have happened? If I had stayed in Michigan, would I have completed high school all the way through in band?

June 2019. That will mark the end of my flute-in-school journey. I can’t say that I’ll keep going out of school because I don’t know if my private lesson teacher will even teach me still. I will be replacing the two blocks with hopefully PROS, if I get in, and double blocked Journalism. 2 courses that will significantly help my future. I hope I’m making the right decision.

One semester left for me to grow as a musician. It was a successful six years with my flute and I think I’m finally ready to give it up. I have other passions now and I’m ready to pay more attention to them too. I’m free.