Being successful in theoretical math is 90% hardwork and 10% smarts right?

  • Thread starter Thread starter kramer733
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Theoretical
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
9 replies · 3K views
kramer733
Messages
322
Reaction score
0
So there's this guy that's trying to downplay me saying i don't have the smarts for math. I tell him that if you're prepare to work for it, then you can eventually get it. If you do anything consistently, you can only get better right? So I'm in need of assurance and prove to him that this is true.
 
Physics news on Phys.org

Discussion

Strongly agree.

The only people I see struggling, are the ones that don't put the time and practice in.
 
kramer733 said:
So there's this guy that's trying to downplay me saying i don't have the smarts for math. I tell him that if you're prepare to work for it, then you can eventually get it. If you do anything consistently, you can only get better right? So I'm in need of assurance and prove to him that this is true.

Who is this "guy"? Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. You may indeed not be able too, but surely don't try because someone tells you that you don't have what it takes.

There are some people that I have met that I know could never do math. They simply just don't have the thinking required. However, usually they excel at something else such as sports or artistic things(music, painting, drawing, etc...). I also think this is a very small portion of the population.

It's really amazing to see what so called "average people" with herculean determination can achieve. I have seen this personally in sports, music, and math/physics.

Don't get too discouraged if you get bad grades. Learn from your mistakes and work harder the next time, and surely don't let some douchebag determine your future.
 
No it's not that. I got a 90 in my high school calculus class but had to put in the time and effort. I haven't taken university yet though (will in 4 months)
 
Unless it's a math prof that knows you well and they are advising you to go down a different path... Ignore them.

Or tell 'em to go do something crude.

Your choice.
 
QuarkCharmer said:
The only people I see struggling, are the ones that don't put the time and practice in.

If this were Facebook, I'd "like" this post here...
 
Who is this guy? A fellow student? Somebody who only knows high school math? Then you can safely ignore him, university math is nothing like high school math... at all!

Is he your teacher, with a math degree?? Maybe spend some more attention then. But still don't let him influence you, I've seen many teachers make bad judgements...

And I don't necessarily agree that being successful is 90% hardwork and 10% smarts. You'll need a aptitude for math to begin with. But the fact that you're actually considering a math degree means to me that you have the aptitude and the interests. So I think you're good to go!
 
Yea i agree, I think if want to math then you already have the potential to do it. People who don't have any skill for it won't like/want to do it.
 
Communist propaganda.

Spending 10 hours a day studying beats the heck out of hard labor in the sun for 10 hours. Yet the latter is quite popular..
 
Well when you do your own research maybe the numbers are the other way around. But in just coursework, I agree