This course pushes you to keep up, to complete the assignments in their allotted time frames. Through the pushing, if you choose to keep up, you are learning the behaviors associated with this skill. Not all skills are inherent in each person. The skills that I have drawn upon are determination, will power, and critical thinking. For me, taking this course through the online program has been more of an aggravation than anything. I have the abilities needed to rise to the occasion and meet the demands of this course. I just don’t have the time needed to meet those demands. There have been times where my will power was tested to complete an assignment after a long day, and at those moments I have chosen to complete the assignment. However, there have been assignments that I just have not had the time to complete, these assignments unfortunately have not been completed.
2) Tenaciousness is also about attitude. Talk about a moment or two when you felt like "giving up." What pulled you through? Do you feel like you've developed a tenacious attitude during the past two months? What experience or experiences most contributed to this?
Throughout this semester I have faced multiple occasions where I have felt like taking this course was more of a chore and burden than it was helpful. Personally, this semester has been quite difficult. My family and I have made it through the sale of our home as well as the purchase of a new home and the subsequent packing and moving. With a wife and 4 kids, this is quite the task. Also, this semester one of our sons graduated from Air Force basic training, which my wife and I traveled to. During this trip, my wife ended up in the hospital with severe abdominal pains. This admission to the hospital and subsequent testing that has been needed to try and establish the true cause of her pain has been an even bigger test of my resolve. As a husband and father, I put my family first and above all else. It was at these times where I fell behind in my courses. I have managed to somewhat keep up, however, I did have to sacrifice that higher grade that I truly wanted. I do not feel that I have developed any new attitude because of this. Being older than the typical college student, I have already experienced a lot of the life lessons that help one to deal with and overcome life’s challenges.
3) Three tips. What are three tips you would offer next semester's student about (1) fostering the skills that support tenacity and (2) developing the 'tenacious mindset' ?
Three tips I could offer to help to develop a tenacious mindset and foster the skills that support tenacity are as follows. 1) Don’t quit just because you do not feel that you can. You will be surprised what you can accomplish if you keep pushing. We can all push harder and farther than we think we can. 2) Try to work ahead, but don’t get discouraged and give up in the event that you fall behind. 3) This course will most likely push you out of your comfort zone, and that is ok. Just go with it and see what happens.
Hi Jim,
ReplyDeleteAs the eldest son in a family with 4 children as well, I know that my father could definitely sympathize with you. In the end, the grade you receive in this class is nowhere near as important as how you've personally grown and developed yourself. Families come with responsibilities and you were definitely right in putting them first. Keep on persevering and achieving your personal goals! After all, that's what truly matters.
My blog post detailed how I've kept myself organized in order to succeed in this course. Feel free to check it out if you have the time.
http://justslothin.blogspot.com/2016/02/half-way-reflection.html
Hey Jim,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you when you say that this course requires you to keep up. At times I felt as if that was all that i was doing, trying to keep up. This class can definitely get the best of you at times undoubtedly. We both agree that we should inform future students to never give up in this course. I have remained determined to get assignments done.
Here's my link: http://brekts.blogspot.com/2016/02/half-way-reflection.html
Ah, Jim, I'm right there with you on the family front. Family comes first, and it is hard to work school into the schedule so you must know quite a bit about tenacity. Your three tips are fantastic. I always try to get ahead, often end up right on schedule and occasionally fall behind. We all have ebbs and flows as life demands and other class demands fluctuate. There's no shame in doing what you can, accepting what you can't and pushing forward.
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