Do you remember back to the days when you were in middle school or high school. Maybe you were like me. I was one of those kids who only studied when the teacher told us that a test was on a specific day. To be honest, there were even times, ok most times, when even knowing that a test was coming, I still didn't study.
I can remember walking into class to hear the teacher say "Pop Quiz." Any smiling and laughter that I had entering the class quickly faded away. Like most kids, except those really smart kids (meaning the ones who were always prepared, always studied), I hated Pop Quiz's. I hate all quiz's whether a pop quiz or a planned test.
Most times I didn't need to see the score that the teacher gave me. I knew my score before the teacher did. Did you notice what I wrote? I said that I didn't need to see the score "THAT THE TEACHER GAVE", you see, I learned young how to pass the blame. I didn't earn the grade due to me not prepared, the teacher gave me the grade because it was his or her fault I failed. If they gave me the answers, I would pass!! Did you notice what I just did? I validated my failure, by placing the blame upon someone else.
"Nobody passed the test." Is what I would say to anyone willing to listen. We have all done it. We have all used the words "Nobody" and all inclusive term. Or "Everyone" or "Always", those all inclusive terms allow for us to again relieve the burden of looking at ourselves as being the problem. I can spread the weight along the many, lessening my responsibility. Of course, very seldom are those terms truthful. Somebody passed the test. (Laughing), most passed the test, but by being completely truthful that reveals that the problem had to be...ME!!
Some of us have heard that it is human nature to wait to the last minute to do something. I don't believe that to be fact. I think that is just another reason that we created to justify why we are again NOT PREPARED. If we fail, instead of looking at ourselves, we can shift the blame to the lack of time devoted to the task.
The kid(s), that passed the tests in school were indeed smarter than me. Smarter because they kept in the state of readiness. Some studied each night. They made as their priority the state of being and staying ready.
In Martial Arts, many students do not stay in the state of readiness. Then when a test occurs, even when the dates of the tests have been mentioned for many months, when they fail somehow it is the instructors fault. Not the students, not the parents, but the instructors.
It is important to be ready for the POP QUIZ, not just the scheduled tests. Why? Because most of your life will be filled with Pop Quiz's. The person who tries to steal your purse...POP QUIZ! The person who breaks into your home while you are home...POP QUIZ! The kid who threatens you in the hallway or the locker room...POP QUIZ! The person who grabs you while out on your hike or job...POP QUIZ! The adult who attempts to lure you away as a child...POP QUIZ!! Those unscheduled events are the pop quiz's in life that when faced and failed, leave a permanent mark on your soul or sadly distinguishes forever the light once seen from your soul.
We all hate pop quiz's, BUT we would hate them less if we remained in a steady state of readiness. Passing the blame for our failures does not stop the fact that we have failed. Being proactive and implementing a strategy to pass the pop quiz's of life, will prove to build you into being what we hope that we and our children will be...Champions!
POP QUIZ TIME...Do you begin now to become ready or do you create a justification like "That would never happen to me" become the last justification you possibly make before experiencing a reality that no justification can ever remove.
What is your grade on that POP QUIZ?