There’s a guy and he’s someone I don’t particularly like so the fact that I’m devoting an entire blog post to something he said should tell you two things:
1) When someone is smart, I can put aside my own issues and dislike for them and listen to what they have to say. From this you can deduce that I am somewhat reasonable.
2) I pay attention to smart people. I know I am not the smartest of the smart people. There is always more to learn.
So, back to what this man said. He said:
“when planning to achieve something, don’t think about what you need to do to accomplish it. First think of what your competitors may be doing to achieve the same thing, to take your place, then do what you think it takes to do more.”
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
The guy I don’t like was saying this about studying for your MCAT. For those of you who do not know, the MCAT is the single, most soul-sucking thing one must go through in order to become a medical student. I know other MCATters, I see the desperation in their eyes and the bald patches from where they’ve pulled out chunks of hair asking, “is it an SN1 or SN2 reaction???”
But, I think it applies to most things you could want to accomplish in life. Like a job — what is the other guy they are interviewing doing to get your job? If it’s morally reprehensible, don’t do it but if you can try and put yourself in someone else’s shoes, do it. Admittedly, I have a problem with sacrificing some nights out. When I take home a C+ on an exam that my peer took home an A in, I wonder, “where did she spend last Saturday night?” Probably not at Sheffield’s shooting tequila with your neighbour and then going to McDonald’s.
Lesson learned!