Some law students who chat with me about discouraging grades take the view that this "failure" is permanent and unprecedented among others. Because many of them experienced only good grades before law school, they erroneously think that successful people never fail. They also worry that they cannot bounce back from this "black mark" on the academic record.
Here are some quotes that may help law students get perspective back on their discouraging grades:
- All things good to know are difficult to learn. Greek proverb
- The expert in anything was once a beginner. Helen Hayes
- You measure the size of the accomplishment by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals. Booker T. Washington
- If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time. Steve Jobs
- Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th. Julie Andrews
- It always seems impossible until it's done. Nelson Mandela
- Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. African proverb
- Tough times never last. But tough people do. Dr. Robert Schuller
- Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over. Guy Finley
- The beginning is always today. Mary Wollstonecraft
Getting a discouraging grade can lead to evaluating our errors and making permanent improvements that lead to positive future outcomes. (Amy Jarmon)
