Oftentimes, we harbor a misguided view of people who struggled in school or got bad grades despite their tendency to grow into successful lives, healthy connections, and communities that most people desperately yearn for in adulthood.
Their uniqueness, ambition, and courage in tending toward the unconventional are the superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young. Across industries and walks of life, many examples of professionals and successful people have earned their success, even without maintaining good grades or getting academic validation as a kid.
Here are 11 superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young:
1. They are complex and unconventional thinkers
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With education systems and rigid institutions that often reward conventionally intelligent “rule-followers” with excellent grades and praise, it’s not surprising that innately curious and unconventional thinkers struggled to excel as young kids.
It’s this same struggle that’s evolved into a superpower for many adults—their curiosity, fearless interests, and complex thinking about the world, relationships, and growth truly set them apart from everyone else. They have a unique perception of the world and craft goals, find motivation, and cultivate success in ways that best suit them rather than the people around them.
2. They’re resilient
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Stressful life events and situations, similar to the ones students who struggled in school experience, can oftentimes cultivate anxiety disorders and mental health concerns, as a 2013 study on stress resilience argues. However, they can also foster a sense of resilience that’s impossible to ignore.
Having navigated their way through school, often without the validation of teachers or recognition of excellent grades, they were forced to pave their path to self-assurance, confidence, and success in adulthood. These are the superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young — they now prioritize unconventional and creative means for success.
3. They’re fulfilled by unique hobbies
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Many adults with unique and fulfilling hobbies live by choice, as life coach Keya Murthy argues, and prioritize using their free time as “vitamins” for their mind, body, and spirit. The child who was unfulfilled by success metrics growing up now finds ways to spark their creativity and curiosity in self-assuring ways.
Especially if they’re unfulfilled in their careers or struggling to meet societal standards for adulthood, they’re not shy in using their unique practices to find joy and peace.
4. They have a ‘big picture’ perspective
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As confidence coach Kathryn Brown Ramsperger argues, many adults who struggle with self-esteem and anxiety are stuck in a “quantitative mindset” that measures happiness and success by the number of achievements rather than quality. However, adults who struggled in school when they were young harness a specific superpower in seeing the “bigger picture.”
Without the transactional nature of academic achievement to cultivate this toxic mindset at a young age, many of these once-struggling students find balance by prioritizing quality interactions, experiences, and practices. This big-picture mindset allows them to plan for the future and set realistic goals and gives them a unique opportunity to practice intentional gratitude in their daily lives.
5. They’re focused on passion, rather than validation
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In the chaos of daily life, work responsibilities, and family life, many adults struggle to learn their passions and prioritize activities that genuinely bring them joy. However, prioritizing self-care and unique hobbies is one of the superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young, as it’s always been a means for them to feel fulfilled without the in-school achievements of their peers.
As life coach Janelle Anderson preaches, passions aren’t easily presented to you—they’re not something you find but rather something that erupts from you. These unique adults have spent their childhoods crafting spaces to thrive and find joy, allowing them to learn about their passions early in life.
6. They’re unfazed by competition
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According to 2008 research from the Academy of Management, power hierarchies that influence our definitions of success, like the ones used to enforce schools and education curricula, are largely influenced by the human psyche. People who stray from the conventional norms of school success and academic validation also stray away from the power dynamics associated with these structures.
They reject this narrow version of success, focus on competition with others, and are more self-aware about their metrics and expectations for success.
7. They’re empathetic and open-minded
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Another of the most important superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young is their tendency towards empathy and open-mindedness.
They weren’t defined by academic validation or the power-driven hierarchies that many schools are regulated by growing up, so they can see the uniqueness and personal strengths in others as adults. Even if they aren’t wealthy or high-status, they’re worthy of attention, connection, and respect, which helps to cultivate healthier and more fulfilling relationships for these people.
8. They have great communities and healthy relationships
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Even if they’re on online communities or are parasocial connections, like the ones that Northwestern professor Rich Gordon’s “Community-Connection Experience” study argues are incredibly influential socially, one of the most critical superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young is their tendency towards cultivating great relationships.
Driven by connection over shared experiences, unique interests, and genuine interactions unplagued by toxic power dynamics, these adults have a superpower in harnessing equally fulfilling and impactful connections with others.
9. They’re persistent self-advocates
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While there are exceptions with dedicated teachers and thoughtful school staff, many students who struggled academically in school were hardly celebrated within the context of the classroom. Instead, they learned to “sell themselves” and sometimes even crafted skills, talents, or hobbies that helped them add value to school environments like sports teams, clubs, or classroom discussions.
For some, this might’ve been humor. For others, it might have been a unique creative outlet or talent. Regardless of what it looked like, these students could advocate for their worth, even within an environment with rigid expectations for success.
10. They’re imaginative
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One of the great superpowers of adults who struggled in school when they were young, imaginative curiosity and creativity have given everyone joy in adulthood, not only for our culture, art, and society.
From some of our best films and novels to impactful passing conversations and technological advancements that only the most eccentric minds could understand, these adults are imaginative not only by choice but also by necessity.
11. They’re relatable and humble
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As business and life coach John Capello argues, humility gratifies every aspect of our lives, from grappling with grief to making new connections to taking responsibility for our mistakes and shortcomings.
Adults who struggled through school might not have been academically praised, but they found ways to humbly make new friends and grow into their unique identities and perspectives. With this kind of self-assured confidence, they’re equally welcoming to others and relatable to people who’ve experienced similar struggles.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.
