Notes and Discussions creating Themes

After reading the articles in Inquiry and taking notes on particular topics. The quote that drew my attention was "It is not only innate genius or talent that will make you successful, it is the hours you put in it." said by Malcolm Gladwell This quote relates to the a certain theme that has been coming up during class discussions and that is Agency. Agency is a various of different things such as taking action in situations, being comfortable out of your shell, having independence, and broading your mind. While in class I noticed that everyones different we all have different opinions but always agree on similar things. For instance, talking about being smart and the theory of 10,000 hours. Most people believe that you can practice for perfect and create change. Where others believed that if you were not simply born with a particular talent then it will be harder for you to become something you're not. In the end though regardless if you are born with a talent or not the class agreed on motivation. Without motivation you are unable to create a drive to reach your goal. Now that we are in college and becoming more independent it is up to each individual to prepare for the next step and get their work done. Another reading that had to do with Agency was how working hard and working smart were equally important. To work smart you should always work hard. This relates to taking action in how much effort you really put into your work. Where motivation is the key to accomplishments. During class discussion we all agreed that the amount of work that you put into something is going to result in what you get out of it in the end. There are different ways to prepare yourself when trying to accomplish certain things. After reading the article "Why most students Don't understand the real goal of Note taking" I noticed the difference between the right kind of note taking and the wrong. It is important to take the right kind of notes so when you go to study you will know what exactly to remember. In class most students are used to writing down whatever the professor puts on the board. You will find it easier to right down the importance rather than un-needed information. You also should ask questions so you are not unsure about what exactly your taking notes on. By doing these things you need to take control of the notes you are taking rather than relying on whatever the professor decides to write down for you. This again relates to agency because you are being independent and broading your mind to what you believe is important. Agency is just one of the keys to being successful, but is the theme found in notes and in readings as well.