<p>Essay Prompt</p>
<p>A colleague of the great scientist James Watson remarked that Watson was always “lounging around, arguing about problems instead of doing experiments.” He concluded that “There is more than one way of doing good science.” It was Watson’s form of idleness, the scientist went on to say, that allowed him to solve “the greatest of all biological problems: the discovery of the structure of DNA.” It is a point worth remembering in a society overly concerned with efficiency.</p>
<p>Adapted from John C. Polanyi, “Understanding Discovery” </p>
<p>Assignment</p>
<p>Do people accomplish more when they are allowed to do things in their own way? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>
<p>From the many outstanding and prodigal role models in the world, we realize that those who accomplish the most are the ones who follow their own dreams and do things their own way, and yet we still insist on conforming to what we reason will produce the most ideal outcome. We always strive for success in conventional ways; trying to complete our work the fastest, the most efficiently. As said in the above excerpt however, it is this conformity that puts us in danger of producing half-hearted and rushed results that are inaccurate reflections of our true capabilities. There is always more than one method of achieving good results, and we should be more inclined to doing things our own way, rather than following society's norms. </p>
<p>In the many years I have been a student, I have been no stranger to the fast-paced, demanding and academically driven environment of my school. The amount of pressure placed on students is enormous, and every single lesson is a series of deadlines all leading to one objective: graduating with a diploma to go to a good university. This 'ideology' is not only integrated into my mind by the institution I attend, but also everyone around me; my parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and often even my friends. I always question: what is the point of this? When I get into the university of my choice, I will still have to face the terrors of our stringent job market and most likely struggle to find an ideally well-paying job. This is when I turn to some of the most successful people in the world - Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg for example. Both of them were students at Harvard College and neither of them completed their higher education - and yet both have at some point in time been deemed the most successful entrepreneurs of their time. If they were raised in my family, they would most definitely not have been allowed to pursue their (at the time) new and unstable endeavor, let alone drop out of such a prestigious university. They followed their dreams and have now accomplished more than I could ever dream of. </p>
<p>There are also countless successful people in the athletic and entertainment industry who have sacrificed their education to pursue their dreams for acting or singing or sports; although they are often considered "one in a million", I believe we should always be open to questioning: what if you are that "one" in a million? As Aristotle taught, in life we ought never relent, but always continue to seek ways to enable our full potential as a human being. It is incredibly important that we never reduce ourselves as 'nobodies' because as the cliche goes, everyone is unique and has their own specific talents and abilities. And we should always pursue them when we discover what they are, because that is what makes for a fulfilled life. However, it is wise to examine why people tend to feel inclined to follow the typical paths that govern their lives. The answer is that it is simply in our own human nature to be afraid to try things our own way, because with the many successes in the world there must also come failure. Our fear for failure blocks out our confidence to go out there and just give something a go. This brings to mind a personal example of mine: I have been playing the violin ever since I was six years old, and my teacher has always told me that the shape of my hands could allow for me to become an extremely successful violinist. However I would never even dare to leave school to pursue this career because the chances of really 'making it' are very slim. This is why the saying "fortune favors the bold" is so applicable in this situation; it is truly those who are most bold and willing to take the risk who achieve the greatest results.</p>