My Mistakes Don't Define Me

      Hi! My name is Anusha Pai, and I am a junior living in San Ramon, California. Now, you might be thinking, “Yeah yeah, I’ve heard way too much about growth mindset, be positive, blah blah blah.” But in reality, your outlook on life can be a determining factor in your success. It is easy to get discouraged today, whether it be in school, sports, or personal goals. It’s much more difficult to ignore those setbacks and keep going. Today, negativity is everywhere I look- people predict future grades on tests, talk flippantly about serious mental health issues, and generally act like they know how their life will end (badly). Last year, I decided to take a math class that has a reputation at my school for being “one of the hardest.” Despite all the warnings, I was sure that I would be able to sail through it. Well, long story short, I struggled. After failing the first test, I couldn’t believe that the class was going the way I had expected. However, instead of brushing aside the failure and focusing on my next goals, I let the negativity consume me. Before each test, I convinced myself that I didn’t know the concepts, and that I was going to do badly. I fell into a negative pattern, and it took me the whole of first semester to pull myself out of it. At the beginning of second semester, I decided to try something new- I would only think about how much I did know, and it would only be positive thinking. It worked! I found that the more positive I was (and the more I studied rather than cried about my nerves), the better I did. I did a lot better in that math class during second semester, and I feel like I learned a few life skills along the way. 
     A growth mindset is important because it teaches you that it is okay to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them and keep going. The moment you let a mistake define you, the door is opened for negativity and obstacles. Just a little positivity can have a wonderful effect on you self-esteem as well as your life in general. So the next time you make a mistake, remember that you’re only human and think about what you can do to improve. Trust me, the thought process will work.

Post published by guest writer Anusha Pai