High Achievers: The Secret Resources They Sometimes Hide

I just wanted to tell you about a former student of mine. Let’s call him Tim.

Something unusual happened during Tim’s final year of middle school. Up until that point, he was your average C-student—solid but not outstanding.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he started scoring straight A’s on every test.

It wasn’t a gradual climb, like moving from a C to a B and then to an A. No, Tim went straight to the top. It felt… strange. But what stood out more than the grades was his demeanor.

Tim didn’t seem surprised by his transformation. It was as if he’d planned this all along, like a marathon runner pacing himself in the middle of the pack only to sprint ahead at the finish line.

Had he been holding back this entire time?

Whatever it was, it was interesting to see. He walked taller, his face brighter—open to the world in a way I’d never seen before.

I wasn’t the only one noticing this shift. During a grades meeting, his name came up. Every teacher had the same story: Tim was suddenly excelling in their subject too. One of my colleagues, stunned, said, “He’s getting an A from me.” Others nodded in agreement.

By the end of the year, Tim earned the school’s award for best academic achievement. I’m sure he felt proud.

But Tim may not have realized the lesson he taught us all: never underestimate someone.

You never know the depths of a person’s potential until they decide to reveal it to the world.?

So, let me ask you:

What resources are you hiding? When will it be your time to step into the spotlight?

Listen to the latest episode: Emotional Numbness: Ever feel like you don′t feel?