Alfred Alder, a famous psychiatrist, had an interesting experience. When he was a small boy he got off to a poor start in arithmetic. His teacher got the idea that he had no ability in arithmetic, and told his parents what she thought in order that they would not expect too much of him. In this way, they too developed the idea, "Isn't it too bad that Alfred can't do arithmetic?" He accepted their mistaken estimate of his ability, feeling that it was useless to try, and that he was very poor at arithmetic, just as they expected. 

One day he became very angry at the teacher and the other students because they laughed when he said he saw how to do a problem which none of the other students had been able to solve. 

Adler succeeded in solving the problem. This gave him confidence. He rejected the idea that he couldn't do arithmetic and was determined to show them that he could. His anger and his new found confidence stimulated him to go at arithmetic problems with a new spirit. He now worked with interest, determination, and purpose, and he soon became extraordinarily good at arithmetic. He not only proved that he could do arithmetic, but he learned early in life from his own experience that, if a person goes at a job with determination and purpose, he may astonish himself as well as others by his ability. 

This experience made him realize that many people have more ability than they think they have, and that lack of success is as often the result of lack of knowledge of how to apply one's ability, lack of confidence, and lack of determination as it is the result of lack of ability.
Is Alfred Alder good at math?
Was he always?
Did the teacher encourage him?
Did she have a talk with his parents?
About what?
Then did they give up on his future in math?
Did this effect him?
Try what?
What ending up boosting his ego?
Was he mad?
At who?
Why?
did he approach math in a new way?
Wny?
Did he learn a lesson from this?
What does he think people are missing when they don't succeed?
What did he do for a living?
Was the teacher wrong about his math ability?
What about his parents?
did he complete the problem that he was laughed at for?
Yes
Adler succeeded in solving the problem
no
got off to a poor start in arithmetic
No
His teacher got the idea that he had no ability in arithmetic
yes
and told his parents
that they should not expect too much of his math abilities
that they would not expect too much of him
Yes
In this way, they too developed the idea
he felt that it was useless to try
feeling that it was useless to try
To try and excel at arithmetic
and that he was very poor at arithmetic
Adler succeeded in solving a problem that none of the other student had been able to
Adler succeeded in solving the problem
Yes
His anger
at the teacher and the other students
at the teacher and the other students
because they laughed when he said he saw how to do the problem
because they laughed when he said he saw how to do a problem
He now worked with interest, determination, and purpose
He now worked with interest, determination, and purpose
Because he was determined to show them that he could do arithmetic
was determined to show them that he could
He learned that if a person goes at a job with determination and purpose, he may astonish himself as well as others by his ability.
that, if a person goes at a job with determination and purpose, he may astonish himself as well as others by his ability.
a lack of knowledge of how to apply one's ability, a lack of confidence, and a lack of determination
lack of knowledge of how to apply one's ability, lack of confidence, and lack of determination
He was a famous psychiatrist
a famous psychiatrist
Yes
He rejected the idea
Also yes
their mistaken estimate
Yes
Adler succeeded in solving the problem