Performance: My Key to Knowledge by Brendan

Performance: My Key to Knowledge by Brendan - January 2015 Scholarship Essay

“Actions speak louder than words”. One of the most commonly heard phrases; its general meaning is that one’s actions hold more significance than words. Therefore, the act of doing is stronger than the act of speaking. Taking action both mentally and physically defines a merit-based mentality, a person who views their goals attainable. Production of goods and services would be nonexistent had no one taken the initiative to organize, design, monitor, or build such products. Simply put, the actions we perform on a daily basis have a direct influence on our future. This is what I base myself on when new tasks arise. The act of doing is the foundation of my learning process; my key to knowledge.

For myself, in order to fully grasp the concept of an idea or perform a specific task correctly I must physically conduct the process repetitively and in some cases, fail at it. Learning to operate a car provides the perfect example of repetition and failure. Studying the material only took me so far. I knew that if I wanted to begin driving properly I would need to physically experience it. I had to get the feel of the pedal in order to produce smooth transitions from start to stop; this meant jerking the car to a halt and forward was inevitable due to my lack of experience. My instructor could not have assisted me in this regard.

When thought deeper on the subject, one can see that words are merely different frequencies of noise and nothing more. They may serve their own purpose of promoting the necessary actions and boosting mentality, however they do not physically complete the task. I have encountered a variety of teachers within the short life that I have lived thus far. A small list includes college professors, public school teachers, music instructors, work supervisors, and sports coaches. Throughout the periods of time that I was in contact with these providers of knowledge, a common and upsetting theme was emerging. The textbook has become an unconstrained reference tool for sundry sources of information. One of the main reasons why we forget material that we have studied so fast is a result of the absence of physical interaction. Too many school teachers today simply convert text to speech and do not provide any means of interaction with the material. The act of doing provides both enjoyment and enhanced mental retention.

Many things can be said about physical versus mental actions, but for me physicality emanates a stronger, more affective note. After educators have implemented this into their teaching habits, students will not only retain information more effectively, but will also learn valuable life lessons. Because interaction is both an enjoyable and rewarding experience. Failures are bound to come, it is learning and growing from them that makes us more successful in the future.