EP 169: The True Cost of a Bad Teacher

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Have I ever told you the story about the time I almost flunked out of school? If not, you're about to hear it now. This wasn't some minor hiccup. No, this was a "the world is ending, I'm never going to finish school" kind of failure. But here's the kicker: it wasn't my fault. Nope, I squarely place the blame on a bad teacher. And this experience taught me some invaluable lessons that resonate deeply with my role as a stock market coach and option trader today.

I was an engineering student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, before I transitioned to the Mike Ilitch School of Business. It was filled with challenging math and science courses, and one of the courses that tested me the most was Statistics. I failed it twice with the same teacher who made the subject impossibly hard, dull, and confusing. The combination of a boring and complicated teaching style made it difficult to stay awake, let alone motivated to succeed. By the end of my second attempt, I was on the verge of giving up.

But a conversation with fellow students changed everything. They mentioned how difficult my teacher was and recommended another teacher who explained things more clearly, made the subject fun, and genuinely cared about student success. The difference was night and day. I passed the class on my first try with her, and even enjoyed it. This eye-opening experience made me realize the impact that a good or bad teacher can have on a student’s journey.

Resilience was my saving grace. I decided that I wouldn't negotiate with my future. I was going to pass Statistics, no matter how many times it took. This same kind of perseverance is vital in stock trading. The market tests you constantly, and resilience can be the differentiator between success and failure. You need to hammer at it, fine-tune your strategy, and keep pushing ahead until you break through.

For a while I thought it was me - I was too dumb or not meant to be an engineer. A bad teacher can make a student feel like they're not meant for a particular subject or industry. This negative self-perception can lead to a defense mechanism where the individual convinces themselves that the subject isn't for them, that it's boring, or that they don't need to achieve greatness in it. 

This is even more apparent in the stock market. People are told they can only succeed so much, so they hold back on their real potential. This can have long-lasting effects on a person's confidence and willingness to try new things or persist in a challenging field.

If at first you don't succeed, maybe it's not you—maybe it's the teacher. In college, I got smarter about evaluating teachers within the first two weeks of classes. If their teaching style didn't click with me, I'd drop the class and find another teacher. In the context of trading, this means knowing when to switch strategies or educators if the current one isn't working for you. Before you commit, evaluate various resources—be it free YouTube tutorials, podcasts, or trial courses—to find the best fit for your learning style.

[00:00:00] Struggling with statistics, had to retake.

[00:03:15] Struggling with trading groups and bad teachers.

[00:08:22] Negative beliefs impact financial mindset of individuals.

[00:10:00] Belief in stock market influenced by upbringing.

[00:12:37] Avoid bad teachers, assess before committing.

[00:16:55] Help out and share this valuable content.