Tell the words "test", "exam" or "quiz" to every student and sure enough mixed feelings of urgency, panic, and sometimes even fear can frequently be elicited. The days of Pinoy school life can be gruelling though there are times for fun and games. Long hours of study (from elementary to high school and college) is the norm if one expects to achieve success and be proficient at one's area of expertise. 

Repetition and practice reinforce familiarity and instill a deeper insight. It is not merely learning the subject matter; it is the habit formed of analytical thinking that is the key ingredient. And of course there are the added bonus of reinforcing the timeless values of sacrifice, discipline, and delayed gratification, all working to mould a strength of character that may sometimes be lacking from fast-track strategies.

The saying "Burn the midnight oil to success" may not be fully appreciated by some Pinoy students of today (perhaps since nobody uses oil lamps anymore!). However, such a mindset has definitely its own rewards. There are benefits to be gained when every small edge can be eked out of a very competitive landscape. More often than not, burning the midnight oil can confer mastery and even renown. And once on the mountaintop of success, a sense of humility does make the taste so much sweeter, especially when no one had expected the feat to be done.

As our late Dad had admonished us his children "Be the best thru mastery of one's craft, and in the process, stay humble, for the taller the bamboo tree grows, the lower it sways."  The secrets to success that he shared with us may sound simplistic as back to basics but he was speaking from a record of accomplishments. And who can argue with success? Success can be realized by most of us, especially if we truly believe we can.  And of course, we must do the all-important follow-through that separates those who just want and dream from those who want, do it, and succeed.

(Video from youtube.com; posted by reverlindi 08.14.08)