Why am I so good at math?

I'm better now. And, lately, I've been thinking about math. Because it's been brought to my attention that I'm good at it. You see, I proved something I called Andres's Cool Theorem shortly before winter break. Long story short, a couple months later it was revealed that Andres's Cool Theorem was actually called the Power Rule. Upon hearing that I had never heard of the Power Rule, my math friends told me to "leave" on account of me needing to be in a higher math. So, why was I able to prove this, and find certain other curious mathematical things?

In regards to this, after a lot of soul searching, I came up with two rules that have helped me. The second of these rules, which I came up with first, was derived from something that Commander Badass of Manly Guys Doing Manly Things once said. Essentially, the rule is: always try to be a better person than your past self. Nothing more, nothing less. The way I generally phrase it in my head is "Be a better person than you were yesterday." Of course, it's not like there's any way to actually tell what is new between the today you and the yesterday you. But, if you can't see any difference from yesterday, just be sure to be better than yourself from last year. That's the second rule.

The first rule was just thought of recently. Well, recently as of when I intended to write this, which was a while ago. See, when my friends told me about the Power Rule, that was when I realized I was proper good at math. Just now (so, like, at the beginning of March) I realized how crazy it was getting. At that point, I was finding connections between higher-dimensional systems of algebra and finite geometries via the products of cyclic groups. It's really not as hard as it sounds. But why do I find it so easy?

After a right big think, I think I've found the answer. It's because I let things change me. That's rule 1: "let things change you." Don't be taken for granite, like in that one story which has been lost to time and the internet. If you see a dumb motivational video, take it to heart. If you find a dumb quote you like, write it down. If someone recommends doing something (yes, even if it's dumb), do it. That's how I got started with physics, by reading books recommended by Micheal from VSauce. And that's how I got into math, by reading Matt Parker's book, Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension. Then, when I went to my grandparents', I got a bunch more math books to nerd about (I've almost finished the history of algebra) to further seal my fate. So, yeah, that's why I can do stuff. Those two rules.

Actually, I just got a few new math books, among which are The Magic of Math and The Joy of X, which look similar. But, before I read those, I have to finish the new Masterminds and Hugo Cabret books I've got. But, before I read those, I have to finish Unknown Quantity. But, before I read that, I have to read Chronicle of a Death Foretold, because it's for school. And, eventually, I might finish Red Mars. But first, I have to sleep.

To the future!