How students can avoid “Guru Syndrome”

Hello everyone, I’m Seth from SethPerler.com. I’m here today to talk to you about “Guru Syndrome.”

You do not want to get Guru Syndrome—it’s very dangerous. I’m going to tell you what it is and how to avoid it.

Basically, Guru Syndrome is something I see a lot of parents and a lot of kids fall into. It’s this belief that some guru, expert, professional, or authority has said there is one way to do something—and that this is the way you have to do it.

Now, if you’re a student—I don’t care if you’re in middle school, high school, or college—or a parent or teacher, I want you to be really aware of Guru Syndrome.

Sometimes a guru or authority will tell you something that works perfectly for you, and if that happens—great, use it. But we see Guru Syndrome in all kinds of areas: fitness, productivity, technology, photography, and more. Everywhere you’ll find someone saying, “I have a system—use my system and everything will be fine.”

For some people, those systems work. But for the kids I work with—students who struggle with executive function, organization, time management, priorities, getting work turned in on time—those systems often don’t work.

So I want you to be cautious whenever a “guru” says, “This is the way.”

Even if it’s a teacher saying, “This is how you must use a planner,” or an administrator, or a coach—if it’s not working for you, it’s not working for you.

The rule is this: you need systems that are reliable and that work for you. If your system is not working for your learning style, your thinking style, your brain—it doesn’t matter what someone told you.

Of course, you still have to try it. But what I do with my clients is help them find systems that actually work for their brain. I don’t tell them, “This is the only way.” I say, “Let’s find what works for you.”

You need something that works for you, that is reliable, and that can last long-term and be refined over time.

There are, however, old systems and beliefs that get pushed in schools and other places, and they don’t always work for everyone.

Let me give you two examples.

Example 1: The three-ring binder

A lot of middle schools and high schools require students to use three-ring binders and even do binder checks. They force students into this system.

But for many students with executive function challenges, three-ring binders are overwhelming—too many steps, too many details, too many loose papers that often don’t matter.

For highly organized students, three-ring binders can work great. They like them. They feel in control.

But for many of my students, it’s a terrible system. Still, schools often insist on it and even grade students on it.

Example 2: Planners

Schools often give students thick planners filled with calendars, student handbooks, multiplication tables, and all kinds of extra pages.

But students who struggle with executive function often need something much simpler—just a basic planner for planning.

I usually give my students simple monthly planners with just a few pages and teach them how to use them. Not cluttered books filled with extra information.

The key point

You do need systems—but they have to work for you.

For example:

• Some students use Google Keep

• Some use Google Calendar or iCal

• Some use paper planners

I don’t care which one they use—as long as it works for them.

You also need a reliable system for managing school papers, because schools still hand out lots of worksheets and documents. Some of it is useful, some of it isn’t—but you still need a way to organize what matters.

So again, don’t fall into Guru Syndrome.

Don’t just accept “this is the way” without thinking.

Listen to your gut. Try things. If it works, keep it. If it doesn’t, adjust it or replace it.

Finally, there are many systems I’ll talk about in other videos, but the main idea is this: don’t blindly follow one system just because an authority says so.

If this was helpful, share it with someone. I’d appreciate it.

Have an awesome day. I’ll see you soon. Take care.