Being good at something

"It is impossible to imagine Goethe or Beethoven being good at billiards or golf."
- H. L. Mencken

The point here is not to make fun of the great poet or musician, but to emphasize that no one can be good at everything. As a corollary, we should teach children that everyone can be good at something if they work hard enough at it and dedicate themselves to becoming good.

As social beings, we need recognition from our peers for our successes in order to feel that we have a place in the society in which we live.

We must teach children these concepts and offer them options to choose from if we want them to avoid turning to the easy alternatives, such as becoming known as the kid who can drink the most beer, drive the fastest or attempt the riskiest stunt. This teaching must be done proactively because this kind of learning doesn't happen naturally.

Bill Allin
Turning It Around: Causes and Cures for Today's Epidemic Social Problems
Please visit the TIA home site at http://billallin.com/cgi/index.pl