Asian Parenting = my upbringing

A slightly disturbing, yet essentially true, article.  I agree with the concepts, if not the methods.

Source of Frustration: people who repeatedly degrade themselves vocally.  I either consider them to be trapped in a self fulfilling prophecy or I suspect that they are fishing for compliments.  Both breed negativity.

But maybe it isn't their fault. My personal confidence was built on the little victories of childhood. I engaged in countless inconsequential triumphs at a young age.  What I now recognize as silly, arbitrary tests meant the world to me as a kid; a tennis match, the spelling bee, Egyptian war.  No matter the test I always wished to win and always tried to win.  Because if I wasn't working my hardest, then why was I there?  I believe this consistent competition formed the foundation of my approach toward any test I face today.

Here are a couple of phrases (2 exactly) that you should never hear me say (and if you do, something is very, very wrong):

"What's the point of learning this? I'm never going to use it in my career." In learning anything, whether it is the cardiac cycle or the preparation of olives, you train your mental capacity.  You carve out paths that lead to long term memory so that future knowledge can follow.  You tighten the bolts of comprehension and keep your brain honed and sharp.  Here's why: one day, you will make a series of amazing decisions.  People will praise you for your instinct and your luck.  You will be unaware of how your subconscious saved the day.  But it will be an aggregation of all the hard work that you invested in your mind, and only by constant preparation can we prepare for that moment.

"I'm not going to look at the map because I am spatially challenged and cannot understand it." This comment left me so dumbfounded that I can feel my heart rate increase while typing it.  This passive defeat, coupled with the frank statement of an unchangeable trait, is incredibly alien to me.  There is nothing you and I can't do with enough time and/or effort.  Nothing is set in stone.  I spend 80% of my time doing activities that I'm terrible at doing.  Gradually I improve, through no active effort of my own, as my subconscious weeds out actions that produce unfavorable results.  And then, when I'm satisfied with my performance, I move on to my next weakness.  Sound familiar?  This is the life of a student juggling multiple classes.  If you understand what you're studying, you're wasting your time.  Move on to the unfamiliar.