Has anyone ever told you you're not good enough?
By Slayer08
@slayer08 (2377)
Philippines
May 11, 2016 12:55am CST
I once had an English Teacher in High school who told me (infront of 15 other students) that I'm not good enough.
It was after class and she, being the head of the school paper, gathered us in the small room we (writers and editors) use to brainstorm for our up and coming graduation.
I didn't feel bad at the moment.
It took many years for that remark to sink in.
I was an aspiring writer back then and I was just told I wasn't good enough by my mentor. It challenged me. And that was the first notable experience I can remember which made me mature enough to face criticisms.
But it didn't stop me anyway.
Even though I'm still waiting for a break, I would one day love to see that same teacher again and smack her in the kisser (just kidding!!) - I will show her a published work of mine. It has been a frustration ever since, so I was kind of hoping I'll really make it.
I don't hate her though. She just opened my eyes.
7 people like this
11 responses
@sadiemarie (4)
• Westminster, Colorado
11 May 16
I don't think that anyone including someone like a teacher should belittle anyone. Know that you are good enough and don't take what anyone says about you in a neg. way. You should like a great person to be able to overcome that.
3 people like this
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
11 May 16
I never really hated her - I like her. she is a great teacher and even when she said that to me - hurt as I was back then, I didn't take it against her.
But I agree with you, no one should belittle anyone. It did held me back a little but it didn't stop me from dreaming and wanting to be a writer.
2 people like this
@sadiemarie (4)
• Westminster, Colorado
11 May 16
@slayer08 I admire your way of thinking to look past the neg in someone to still see the good that they hold. It isn't easy but it really does take a strong individual to do that. I am glad that you still decided to pursue your dreams of writing. Some people say things like that but mean well though at the time it can really hurt us. I am so happy you continue to write and do what you are meant to do. Keep up the great work.
3 people like this
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
11 May 16
@sadiemarie thanks! I still look up to that teacher even now. I know she is great and she probably did not mean it to be bad.
1 person likes this
@annierose (18926)
• Philippines
11 May 16
I received those message indirectly and it is really challenging on my part. When I was involved in journalism before, I observed that many of the writer speakers there would even tell us that once they did not like the work of the students, they would even crumpled the paper in front of the students. I think that is just their strategy to encourage the student to strive more.
2 people like this
@annierose (18926)
• Philippines
12 May 16
@slayer08 I understand. I have a classmate who cries easily whenever she receives such tough remarks.
2 people like this
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
12 May 16
for some of us, those type of actions or words are challenging but not everyone is strong enough to accept rejections. It is good if we know how to balance it out by becoming better and proving them wrong but for those who are unable to get back up - it's just too bad.
2 people like this
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
12 May 16
@annierose maybe that's her way of coping up and releasing stress but not necessarily that she is faint of heart,. what do you think?
2 people like this
@Heaven05 (2)
• Philippines
11 May 16
When I was a kid, one relative told me that I wasn't good enough and I won't succeed in life. As I grew up, I can't forget those words, that I won't amount to anything. The more I think of it when I was in college, the more I strive to study hard. Now, I prove her wrong.
3 people like this
@tomford (135)
• Richmond, Virginia
19 Jun 16
when you are young you dont understand people are people. just because someone is a teacher or mentor or principal doesn't mean they cant be petty, vindictive or jealous. we need to tell our kids that from a young age so they aren't scarred by these bad teachers
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
11 May 16
I have to keep a straight face or I'll lose it; it's what I've been thinking all the time while she was saying those to me. She was actually saying it to the whole group cause all the while she was speaking, she never did once look at me. Anyway,. I'm over it. It was good for something to be mad about but hey, we all have critics. :)
1 person likes this
@mhike_ghelo (102)
• Makati, Philippines
12 May 16
Maybe it was not bad at all what had happened to you. Your teacher became an eye-opener to you and made you a better writer. I hope you can meet your former mentor once again and I'm sure he/she will be proud of what you have attained. Well, I did not like the fact that she embarrassed you in front of your other co-student because it might lower your self-esteem. Good thing is that you made the incident as a challenge and proved her wrong. I hope mentors, won't do that to motivate students. There are other ways to motivate them and some students don't take the incident same as you so mentors should also be careful on what they do. Nice story. :)
1 person likes this
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
12 May 16
thank you. I have often thought about that incident a lot. It makes me angry just thinking about it and the angrier I get the more pumped up I'am to write. I wonder how she is now? Last time I heard, she is already a grandmother and retired.
1 person likes this
@Blue_bubble (697)
• Raipur, India
11 May 16
I have gone through the same thing throughout my school life. All my teachers had gravely underestimated me.To them I'd like to say just because I was the "disturbing element" in the class that doesn't necessarily means I wasn't good enough. I have been outright rejected from lot of auditions because of their personal prejudices against me. But I prooved them wrong over and over again by outperforming in all of the fields of my interest and majorly in Academics.So I guess I have always had the last laugh.
That was that untill a few teachers(Like 2-3) teachers saw the potential in me and made me feel I'am here to STAND OUT and NOT TO FIT IN. Since then I have never looked back...
1 person likes this
@slayer08 (2377)
• Philippines
11 May 16
@Blue_bubble yes, that's true. Everything we get be it negative of positive should be used as stepping stones for us to reach our goals in life.
1 person likes this
@Blue_bubble (697)
• Raipur, India
11 May 16
What I meant by all this never let anyone dictate your potential. Even you don't know what you are capable of and what you will be achieving.
2 people like this
