It Only Takes Two Weeks

Summary

In this motivational video, the speaker addresses the common concern of feeling academically behind in a classroom setting. They share a math professor's advice that with dedication and hard work, anyone can catch up within two weeks. The speaker reflects on their own teaching experience, emphasizing that all students in a class are there for a reason and have the potential to excel. They encourage viewers to aim high, work diligently, and not be afraid to ask questions or seek help. The video concludes with a message of belief in one's ability to improve and succeed in mathematics, suggesting that with effort, it's possible to catch up and excel within a short timeframe.

Takeaways

• 🎯 The main point is that it's possible to catch up with classmates in as little as two weeks with dedicated effort.
• 👨‍🏫 The 'two-week' concept was introduced by a math professor in response to a student feeling behind in class.
• 🤔 The speaker initially doubted the two-week claim, considering the varying levels of students.
• 🏫 The rationale behind the two-week rule is based on the idea that college placement tests aim to put students of similar abilities in the same class.
• 💪 Hard work and dedication can bridge the gap between a student's current level and that of their peers within a short period.
• 🧠 The speaker reflects on their teaching experience, believing that even the worst students can catch up if they apply themselves.
• 📚 The speaker suggests doing every homework problem multiple times as a strategy for improvement.
• 🚫 The video emphasizes not aiming just to pass but to excel and score a perfect score.
• 🤓 Students should not be afraid to ask questions and seek help, even if it means being persistent or 'annoying'.
• 🔄 The speaker encourages changing current habits rather than dwelling on past regrets, focusing on present actions to influence the future.
• 📈 The 'two-week rule' is not just about mathematics but can be applied to other subjects as well, highlighting the importance of effort over innate ability.

Q & A

What is the main point the speaker is trying to convey in the video?

The main point is that it's possible to catch up with classmates academically within two weeks of hard work and dedication.

Why did the speaker initially doubt the 'two-week rule' mentioned by the math professor?

The speaker doubted the 'two-week rule' because different people have different abilities and levels of understanding, making it seem unrealistic to catch up so quickly.

What is the rationale behind the 'two-week rule' according to the speaker?

The rationale is that in a classroom setting, students are generally placed with peers of similar abilities, so with enough effort, one can catch up within two weeks.

How does the speaker suggest students can improve their performance in class?

The speaker suggests that students should work harder, do every homework problem multiple times, and be persistent in their efforts.

What is the speaker's opinion on the role of placement tests in education?

The speaker acknowledges the existence and necessity of placement tests, despite their imperfections, as they help place students in appropriate classes.

Why does the speaker believe that aiming for a perfect score is beneficial?

Aiming for a perfect score motivates students to strive for excellence, and even if they miss that goal, they are likely to still perform well.

What does the speaker suggest about the importance of asking questions in class?

The speaker encourages students to ask questions in class without fear of being annoying, as it is a crucial part of learning and understanding the material.

How does the speaker feel about the concept of regret in the context of education?

The speaker does not believe in regrets, emphasizing that the focus should be on changing the present to positively affect the future.

What is the speaker's advice for students who are struggling with a subject like mathematics?

The speaker advises struggling students to put in extra work, such as doing all homework problems and reviewing notes, to improve their performance.

What is the 'two-week rule' and how does the speaker apply it to academic improvement?

The 'two-week rule' is the idea that with intense focus and effort, one can catch up to classmates within two weeks. The speaker applies this by encouraging students to work hard and believe in their ability to improve.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Two-Week Catch-Up Theory

The speaker begins by addressing the common feeling of being academically behind peers in a classroom setting. They recount a conversation with a math professor who assured a struggling student that with hard work, one could catch up within just two weeks. Initially skeptical, the speaker reflects on their own teaching experiences and concludes that it is indeed possible for students, even those with significant gaps in understanding, to reach the same level as their peers by dedicating themselves to learning the material intensively over a short period. The speaker emphasizes that everyone in a classroom is there because they meet certain academic criteria, suggesting a baseline equality that can be leveraged with enough effort. The key takeaway is that with determination and focused study, significant academic improvement can be achieved in a surprisingly short time.

05:02

🚀 From Struggle to Success: A Practical Approach

In this paragraph, the speaker shares personal anecdotes and advice on how to effectively improve academic performance, particularly in mathematics. They advocate for a relentless approach to studying, such as repeatedly working through homework problems and dedicating all available time to learning, even on weekends. The speaker encourages setting high goals, aiming for perfect scores rather than just passing, as this mindset can lead to better outcomes even if the perfect score is not achieved. They also discuss the importance of changing study habits, such as attending every class, asking questions, and utilizing office hours. The speaker dispels the fear of asking questions and being 'annoying', suggesting that it's a necessary part of learning. They conclude by reiterating the belief in the two-week rule and providing resources for those interested in learning more about mathematics, hinting at their own courses as a potential aid for those who are serious about improving.

Keywords

💡Classroom

A classroom is a learning environment where students gather to receive instruction from a teacher. In the context of the video, the classroom represents the common starting point for students of varying abilities. The speaker uses the classroom as a metaphor to discuss how students who feel behind can catch up with their peers, emphasizing that everyone is placed in a classroom based on some level of preparedness, suggesting a baseline of equality.

💡Behind

To be 'behind' in the video refers to the feeling of lagging academically compared to one's peers. The speaker addresses this concept by suggesting that the perceived gap can be bridged quickly with focused effort. The term is used to describe the initial state of students who feel they cannot match the performance of their classmates.

💡Two weeks

The 'two weeks' concept is central to the video's message, suggesting that with intense effort, a student can catch up to their peers within this timeframe. This phrase is used to inspire and motivate students who feel they are lagging, indicating that significant progress can be made with dedication and hard work.

💡Placement test

A placement test is an assessment used to determine a student's level of proficiency in a subject, often used to place them in an appropriate class. The video mentions placement tests to illustrate that despite the varying abilities within a classroom, there is an underlying assumption of equality that can be leveraged by students who wish to improve.

💡Catch up

To 'catch up' in the video signifies the act of reaching the same level of understanding or performance as one's peers. The speaker encourages students to believe in their ability to catch up, using this term to convey the possibility of rapid academic improvement through focused study.

💡Work hard

The phrase 'work hard' is used throughout the video to emphasize the necessity of putting in significant effort to achieve academic success. It is presented as a key factor in overcoming the feeling of being behind and catching up to one's peers.

💡Grind

In the context of the video, 'grind' refers to the relentless and persistent effort required to improve academically. The speaker uses this term to describe the process of studying and practicing repeatedly, often over weekends and outside of class time, to achieve mastery of the subject matter.

💡Homework problems

Homework problems are tasks assigned to students to be completed outside of class as part of their learning process. The video suggests that by repeatedly working on homework problems, students can solidify their understanding and improve their performance, which is a practical strategy for catching up with classmates.

💡Aim high

The concept of 'aiming high' is introduced as a motivational strategy, encouraging students to set their sights on achieving the highest possible grades, such as a perfect score. The speaker believes that by setting ambitious goals, students are more likely to perform well, even if they do not reach the exact target.

💡Rise From the Ashes

This phrase is used metaphorically to describe the transformation of a student's academic performance from failure to success. It symbolizes the idea that even if a student is currently performing poorly, they have the potential to make a dramatic turnaround in their results.

💡Mathematics

Mathematics is the academic subject at the core of the video's discussion. The speaker, drawing from personal experience as a math teacher, uses mathematics as an example of a subject where students can make significant progress in a short time through dedicated effort and study.

Highlights

The video emphasizes that with hard work, it's possible to catch up with classmates in just two weeks.

A math professor's comment about catching up in two weeks sparked the video creator's reflection and eventual agreement.

College placement tests are mentioned as a way to ensure students are in classes suited to their abilities.

The video argues that everyone in a class is supposed to be roughly at the same level, despite individual differences.

The rationale is that with enough effort, students can catch up within two weeks.

The video creator shares personal experiences teaching and observing students' abilities to improve significantly.

Students who are struggling are encouraged to aim for a perfect score rather than just passing.

The importance of doing every homework problem multiple times is highlighted as a strategy for improvement.

The video stresses the need to work harder and 'grind' to improve academically.

Students are encouraged not to be afraid to ask questions and to be persistent in seeking help.

The video creator shares personal regrets about not asking questions in class and advises against such behavior.

The focus is on controlling the present to influence the future, rather than dwelling on past mistakes.

The video provides practical advice on studying, such as doing all problems from textbooks and attending office hours.

The 'two-week rule' is presented as a motivational concept to believe in one's ability to succeed.

The video concludes with a strong belief in the possibility of catching up and succeeding with dedication and hard work.

The video creator's courses are mentioned as a resource for those wanting to learn mathematics.

Transcripts

I'm just going to get right to the point

because I want to keep this video short

and then I'll explain my point the point

is this

if you're in a classroom

and there are people in your class

and you feel like

you are behind those people

you feel like

there is no way

that you could become as good as they

are

then the point is

that it only takes two weeks

two weeks

you could do it in two weeks

and so let me let me explain this

because

this was actually a comment that someone

made

in a room I was in many years ago

there was this math professor who

I didn't really know

and he was talking to a student who I

didn't really know

and the conversation went something like

this

the student was

feeling like you know they were behind

and the professor was saying well you

know when students feel that way you

know I always tell them you know you're

really only two weeks behind you might

think that you can't catch up to them

you might think that you can't be as

good as they are you might think that

you can't improve your mathematics to

get to the level where they are because

they're succeeding and maybe you're not

but the reality is it only takes two

weeks

and so I left the room and I thought

about it

and it didn't make any sense I mean how

is this guy going to know that it only

takes two weeks right because different

people are at different levels so how

does this comment make any sense at all

you know people say things all the time

so why is this true

and so here's the rationale

when you are in a classroom in college

and I'll just use the us as an example

but it's probably true in most places in

the world if you're in a classroom

there's usually some requirement

that is needed for you to be there for

example in the US when you go to college

you take some entrance exam and they

place you in a class they say okay you

can go into a college algebra okay

you're really good at math we can put

you in calculus there's a placement test

and people always criticize these tests

and they criticize the system and that's

fine you can criticize it but there

exists some sort of placement where

people are put into classrooms it

doesn't have to be perfect but there is

a system

and so by some sense everyone in that

class is somehow supposed to be equal

but we all know that's not true right

different people have different

abilities different talents different

intellects but the system puts us all in

this place

and so the rationale is that if you work

hard enough

within two weeks you should be able to

catch up

and I agree I think it's possible I

think it's possible now after years of

just reflecting on the statement and

thinking it was just bogus I think I

think you can do it because think about

it everyone is roughly equal if if I

think of all the students that I've had

in all the classes I've ever taught and

I think about

some of the worst students like the

students that they were just really bad

I had something that had really really

bad issues with math some that were just

not very good

and I look at the best students

could these students who were really bad

actually catch up and you know get the

same grade on the test as one of the

good students absolutely yes absolutely

definitely 100 I know because I would

make the tests I know that if they knew

X Y and Z they could get a 100 on the

test

you know and I would go over stuff in

class and I would teach everything and

explain everything so in theory if they

could learn everything I was teaching

they could get a 100 every single time

they just actually had to learn it which

takes a lot of effort and a lot of time

and for some people learning those

things is actually going to take more

time because they're so behind

but you could do it in two weeks you

could definitely do it in fact it might

even take a week

the real question is

you know how bad do you want it

especially if you're in a situation

where your math is really bad I mean

let's use let's use algebra as an

example let's say you're really bad at

algebra

and you're trying to get better and

you're in a class and you're not doing

well right there's people in your class

that are doing well well maybe they had

algebra before in high school maybe they

you know they saw it before maybe their

parents are Math teachers whatever

the only thing you can do in situations

like that is just work harder and really

just grind you have to grind and grind

and grind and you can do it so I just

wanted to make this short video to

indicate that I think it's possible I

really do I think that if you're in a

classroom and you're in a bad situation

and you're not doing well

you can pull yourself out of that

situation if you work really hard and

you just have to grind

one idea

is to just do every single homework

problem multiple times this is what I

did I was obsessed I would do so many

math problems and that's all I did you

know on weekends too you know people

would go to school they do their

homework they'd finish it they'd go out

with their friends

no I didn't do that all right I didn't

do that I just stayed home on weekends

and studied

studied every afternoon after class

it's about how bad you want it

so it's possible so if you're in a class

and you're failing

and you're thinking oh can I still pass

don't think that way it's not about

passing

it's about getting a hundred

aim to be the best aim to score a

perfect score because if you aim high

and you miss

you're probably still going to do pretty

well

two weeks right two weeks is all it

takes you really can't do it you really

can't do it and I thought about this

guy's comment for years because I was

thinking two weeks it doesn't make sense

from the perspective of okay you might

have this friend who's in another math

club like say you're an algebra and your

friend is in calculus three no you're

not going to be able to catch up to him

in two weeks right but if you're in the

same class and you're comparing yourself

to another student in your class and

that student is getting A's and you're

getting F's

you can actually Rise From the Ashes and

do better and get an A on the next test

I've seen people do it they completely

change their study habits they go from

not taking notes skipping class to going

to class every day asking questions

doing all the homework going to office

hours asking questions multiple times

don't be afraid to be annoying a lot of

students

um I feel like they're lost in class and

they're scared to ask questions I used

to be that way don't be like me right

it's funny I'm telling you not to be

like I was but it's good advice because

that's something that I should have done

do I have regrets no because I don't

believe in regrets

just regret to accomplish nothing all

you can do is change

the present and hope that it affects

your future

because that's all we have control over

is the present

so it's possible it's possible pick

yourself up and work harder you could do

it I mean you could do it it's

mathematics and it applies to other

subjects as well but I have more

experience with math so I'm speaking

only here of mathematics in mathematics

you know if you're in if you're in an

algebra class or a trig class and let's

say you're using this book here

fundamentals of algebra and trig by

swachowski great book

you know pick up the book do all the

problems from the section do all the

homework go over all of your notes

you're gonna get better you're gonna get

better it's possible it just takes extra

work and it's about how bad do you want

it it really comes down to that

so you should know that deep down inside

you can do it it's just a matter of do

you want to do it a lot of times I think

that

people think they can't do it

and I believe they can it's just do they

really want to do you really want to

spend that much time doing math I mean

there's other things in life that are

important too right but if it matters to

you you can make the effort and you can

succeed and that's all I wanted to say

in this video I believe in the two-week

rule two weeks in two weeks you can

catch up to a classmate

if you rock it I think that

mathematician who said that I remember

his name but I won't mention it and I

talked to him once briefly and that's

no comment I didn't really know him so

but he was right

I believe what he said he was a smart

man and he was right

if you want to learn mathematics I do

have courses maths sorcerer.com please

use the links on my website if you

decide to buy my courses they're

actually on the udemy site if you're not

a subscriber and you want to subscribe

consider hitting the Subscribe button

today

and it's possible it's possible it

really is I want to emphasize that I

believe that you can do it if you are

failing your class I just from teaching

so many years it took me a long time to

believe this guy I was like two weeks

but he was talking about people in the

same class so if you're in the same

class with someone and you're comparing

yourself and you want to get the grades

they're getting I really think it's

possible to catch up in two weeks I

think that's more than enough time a

week maybe two weeks I think that's a

lot more realistic to catch up to them

and do as well as they're doing I think

it's possible

anyways until next time good luck take

care and keep doing mathematics