By Ige Olumuyiwa, facilitator, Lagooz Schools
“But you are very intelligent. What happened?”
Also read: The stranger at the door
Have you ever heard this after getting a disappointing result?
Maybe you understood everything in class but did not study enough. Perhaps you planned to start your assignment early but somehow spent two hours on your phone instead.
This is one of the challenges some intelligent teenagers face: being smart but easily distracted.
Some teenagers are naturally bright. They learn quickly, understand difficult ideas and can perform very well when they concentrate. But being intelligent does not automatically lead to success.
Sometimes, the biggest problem is not a lack of ability. It is a lack of focus.
Think about what happens when you constantly switch between TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, games, music and schoolwork. Your attention gets pulled in different directions. After a while, sitting quietly with a textbook for 30 minutes can feel harder than it should.
There is also another trap: becoming comfortable with getting good results without putting in much effort. If schoolwork has always been easy for you, you may start believing that you can always “wing it”.
But as you progress, the work becomes more challenging, and talent alone may not be enough.
So, what can you do?
Start by protecting your attention. Put your phone away when studying. Set a realistic study time and stick to it. Finish what you start instead of constantly jumping from one task to another.
Most importantly, learn to keep going even when something feels difficult or boring.
Parents and teachers also have a role to play. Telling a teenager, “You are intelligent,” is not enough. Young people also need to develop discipline, concentration, time management and perseverance.
Remember this:
Being intelligent may give you an advantage, but discipline helps you turn that advantage into achievement. You may have the ability.
The question is: Are you giving it your full attention?
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