I was always happy as a child in math class�getting straight As and A+s. I went to �normal� schools in Germany. I also spent 99% of my time not learning any math at all. Instead, I turned every problem into a �try to solve this as fast as possible� game. That can truly be a lot of fun; handing in your tests after 30 minutes and getting a wink from your teacher five minutes later that you got another A+ when everyone else is only halfway through the questions is a joy.
It is also a waste of time.
I am now so far behind my potential, I do not even know what my limits are. I currently use Khan Academy to catch up on missed opportunities, and learn the curriculum of years in weeks without any real effort; but I am constantly frustrated with the slow pace. I also never realized I could learn this fast because I never had the opportunity in school.
This is my personal experience with not facing sufficient challenge in math.
