Positive Deviant

A positive deviant in the passage meant straying away from the norm, the systematic dry lifestyles in professional work. In a student’s case it means being different in a way that makes a bigger impact, to get the grades but to act differently from the rest in a positive way.
I plan to use each of Dr. Gawunde‘s suggestions for being a positive deviant in high school and college. Using the first suggestion “unscripted questions” will come in handy. Being one to always ask questions makes this suggestion easier to follow. I find it easier to get along with teachers, students, and other peers and adults if you first get to know them. I like getting to know my classmates and teachers and I plan to continue doing that and when I become a psychiatrist I would like still apply this suggestion.

The next suggestion is something I learned in elementary school. Complains is a pet peeve along with excuses, to teachers. I don’t complain or I try not to because usually when I have it has gotten me nowhere, complaining is senseless because everything is the way it is for a reason. For the future instead of complaining I will be “doing”. If I don’t like something and I can do something about it why complain right? “Just do it” as Nike says. It seems as though complaining makes everything worse compelling a person to complain about the result they got from complaining. I definitely will not be complaining much!

When I first read the 3rd suggestion I didn’t really understand it, but I went back a read it again and then I caught on. When he said count something that something could be anything. Finding myself counting many things, I have counted how many times I’ve moved. How many years it will take the average person to get a PhD, I’ve even gotten to do Fermi questions and count something of great numerical value. Counting is fun. In high school and college I will be counting my teachers, my A’s (hopefully there will be lots of them to count), my days in school and out.

The 4th suggestion is already being applied. I love to write, I write poetry and stories. Even when I have to write an expository or persuasive paper I enjoy it. And writing not only applies to free write or class writing but I even want to start using a planner and writing what I have to do and will be using a planner from here until I don’t have to use it anymore. I’ll write for leisurely purposes and for productive times such as jobs and school and many other things. Writing helps me keep organized.

Change on of the most feared things for a lot of people, but not for me. I often change my appearance, my goals, and my dreams. Even moving from Illinois to California for the second time is change. Although change can take a turn for the worst, going to ASTI will be the best change in my life. Now and later on in life I will try to always be positive and open to change, because without change a system or team of people may always be flawed. And if people don’t change they tend to find themselves stuck. The 5ht suggestion is the one I can relate to most. Change to me is everything because without change in my life I wouldn’t have gotten to enjoy the feeling of success.