What it means being a slow learner?

For many of us, growing up is fun and always filled with daily inputs of things we see, feel, touch, taste and hear. But to some of us, growing up is difficult, slow and sometimes even painful. That difference comes from the difference in learning abilities. More specifically - learning speed.

I ask myself why some of us find it difficult to learn things while some people just pick things up very easily and grasping new things, ideas, technique or knowledge very quickly? I used to be part time cello during my university days. I am blessed in the sense that I got a chance to teach a fairly wide spectrum of students -teaching those who were fast at learning and vice versa.

Some have asked me who do I prefer to teach - fast or slow learners. Honestly, I don't really have preference in terms of who I teach as long as they put effort in trying to learn. In many respects, it is much gratifying to teach slow learners especially those who really work hard to improve and to learn from me. It has always given great satisfaction and probably because I too fall in the category of a slow learner.

Being slow at learning things is frustrating. Not just frustrating, it is very frustrating. It is demotivating and emotionally stressful. As for myself, growing up with an elder brother who learnt things so much faster than myself has always been difficult. Constantly being under the shadow of an elder brother is not fun. We both learnt the cello and piano at the same time, and whatever our teacher taught us, which I took 4 to 5 weeks to grasp he'd do it in 2 weeks or less. Even studying, he always faired well by spending half the time I had to spend to achieve equivalent or maybe slightly better. Coming to think of it, even in squash when we were both under the same coach I have never beaten him everytime he got serious!

Even till today, he always seems to be a step ahead, having the edge while I am constantly digging deep to barely survive whatever is thrown at me. Being positive is not easy but it helps to keep me afloat, but there are times when I just run out positivity fuel.

Even in my work place, I see many who are like myself and I also see many who just learn things at a very quick pace..... quick learners just do well and become high flyers while slow learners just trail from behind struggling with every bit of strength and effort. I guess hardwork alone cannot surpass those gifted in learning things quickly. Sad.... but true.....