A slacker was 20 minutes late and received two math problems… His solutions shocked his professor.

Today I will tell you a relatively short story about a young man, which occurred many years ago. Even though the story contains nothing supernatural, I’m not exaggerating when I say that it was able to change the lives of millions across the world. In one way or another, every self-respecting successful person knows about it, and I think each one of you should hear it as well.

[reyarthrublico]

His statistics Professor must be recognized and awarded too, for not stealing it and taking the credit.

[subterreanhighrise]

That reminds me of the time I myself was late for class. There was a problem written on the blackboard of which I thought it might be homework. So I spent a week trying to solve it. Then it hit me, that was surely an unsolvable problem! The next week I told the professor I tried hard, but failed to solve the problem, thus concluding it has to be unsolvable. Turned out, it was a normal homework assignment and I was just bad at it.

[elliottmoore]

"I have never let school interfere with my education." Mark Twain

[elvwood]

A similar thing happened to me, though obviously on a vastly smaller scale. I was taking my maths degree at Oxford (which was a mistake - I would have done better at a less pressured university), and had a reputation as a poor student. I hadn't left myself much time to complete my homework and did it in a rush. In my tutorial my tutor looked at me oddly, and asked if I'd read this one question. I thought I had, but she added "and did you notice the part at the bottom pointing you to the section of the book that explains how to tackle questions like this?"

I think I blushed, because I'd been going too fast to notice it. But she hadn't finished.

"Well, congratulations. You've come up with a much better way of solving the problem. This is far more elegant, and I'll be using it in future."

Best maths moment of my life. I wish I could remember what the question was!

[scenemuch]

I learned this in life: "If you don't know what you can't do, you can do anything".

[DJEmirMixtapes]

"The person who says it can't be done should not interrupt the person already doing it." - Old Chinese Proverb

[okechukwuomeh]

This is so true. I have fixed problems very easily when I thought they were easy and others thought they were difficult. It's in our mindset.

[louislopez]

Towards the end of my senior year in high school, I met with my HS school guidance instructor. When he asked me what I was going to do after graduation, I told him I was going to go to UT in Austin, TX. He smirked and told me to go to the local community college instead and learn a trade. Many years later, after obtaining my degree in economics and my juris doctorate, I ran into him at a grocery store. When I reminded him of our conversation many years back and that he had been completely wrong about my intellectual abilities, he replied that he was not wrong. In fact, he said, it was his intention to challenge me. He explained that by pretending to have zero faith in my abilities, I became motivated to prove him wrong. I thought it was a clever way to get out of it.

[edwardwilliams]

Imagine what he could have accomplished if he had not attended at all.

[riwm]

He never knew it was unsolvable that is why there was no limit for his brain to seek the answer...amazing story.

[somratkhan]

The world mathematicians: This is impossible to solve!
George: I missed the part where that's my problem.

[makarelsardines]

He took "It's all a part of the plan." to a next level.

[christinemacmacleod]

A friend told me a story about her grandfather who was a mathematics professor. He had a student who came to one class and received a 98% as a final grade. The professor met the young man and asked him how he attained the mark he got when he only attended one class. The student’s reply, ‘Well sir, I think the first class confused me.’

[davidswick]

He's lucky the Professor didn't take all the credit!

[kirk]

I'm 48 years old and lived my whole life in the US. I have met many, many more people who overestimate their ability, their knowledge, and their expertise, full of confidence, lacking introspection or any sense of self doubt, than people who just needed to believe in themselves in order to accomplish greatness.

[finalthought]

The mind is powerful. He unlocked that hidden potential we gain with determination. He never knew it was unsolvable so that doubt obstacle never arose.

[nardzarrieta]

That’s why I firmly believe in a saying: “If we all think the same, then no one is thinking.” 🤓

[marcosreal]

Many people will say "ha, you just have to believe in yourself" and forget the 17 years of tough prep that George's math teacher dad gave to him growing up.

[jimarcher]

Got to admire anyone that solves a math problem with a fountain pen.

[megan-alexaganza]

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY believe that it’s the truth. Our problems are a result of our perception. Effectively — telling ourselves it’s impossible takes away our belief that it’s impossible!