When I was a kid, I had this sudden wish to learn the piano. I remember watching this scene on “Corpse Bride” where the main character plays a piano solo, and getting immediately hooked by it.
When I told my parents they were very supportive and happy, my dad actually went and bought a piano before I even had my first lesson, and my mom would take the bus with me to my classes.
I had no excuses to give up besides myself.
As I started to learn it, I started to get frustrated. I wasn’t progressing as I thought I would, and was starting to feel that piano just wasn’t for me, so I dropped it.
This idea stuck with me all the way through my adulthood, where I would think if I fail at something, I’m just not good enough for it and it would be wiser to try something else.
I still don’t know how to play the piano.
A different perspective
I later realized that, to think you can’t do something is one of—if not the most—limiting beliefs a person can have. It’s literally the first step to succeeding at anything, but despite acknowledging that, I was still struggling to convince myself.
That was until I read Pedro’s memo and finally decided to embrace growth mindset.
What changed?
I started to believe there is literally nothing I can't learn, and this is liberating.
I’ve started to approach new things from a position of learning and curiosity, while celebrating even the smallest progress. Now the journey feels light, feels good.
I’ve started getting inspired by other people’s success instead of feeling inferior and discouraged. If they can do it, it means it is possible.
So many possibilities opened up in my head, everything suddenly became possible instead of unreachable. I worry more about whether it’s what I really want instead of whether or not I can do it.
Impostor syndrome? Gone. I just need to put the time and effort to improve.
I don’t feel threatened by challenges anymore; I embrace them with excitement instead of nervousness, since they get me out of my comfort zone and teach me so many things.
Most importantly, I’ve started to see failures as extremely valuable opportunities to grow. At the end of the day, it is just feedback, nothing else. It shows you what went wrong, so you can do what you need to do.