My perseverance journey

Growth mindset means believing skills are built through practice, mistakes, effort, and learning — not something you either “have” or “don’t have.”

This quote come from Dr. Carol Dweck

Because of this quote I have been less scared off my mistakes.

Say that quote to yourself when ever you feel you are not good at some thing and you don’t want to try. NEVER DOUBT YOURSELF !!!!!!!!!

Four weeks ago, I had an absolute meltdown. I thought I was terrible at art.

I was scared to draw, scared to paint, and honestly scared to even put my ideas onto paper or canvas because I thought they would turn out bad. Before I even started, I had already decided that the result would not be good enough.

But then my teacher stopped me and asked me something:

Good enough for who?

Was I trying to impress everyone? Was I scared of making mistakes? Or was I just afraid of not being instantly amazing at something new?

Yesterday, I went to a community art space called JamJar and created something that I thought was actually really pretty. Then something surprising happened. A random artist told me that I was very talented.

I remember thinking:

Wait… just four weeks ago I was doubting myself so much.

That moment made me realise something important: sometimes we judge ourselves too quickly. The lesson was understanding the learning process.

In sprinting, which is my real passion, I have had races where I did not place well. I have lost races, made mistakes, and had results that disappointed me. But I never thought, “That means I should stop running.” Instead, I trained harder. I went to training and practised drills, conditioning, sprint technique and core work because I knew these things would help me improve. I trusted that practice would make me stronger and faster.

I did not expect to become amazing overnight.

So then I started asking myself:

Why was I treating art differently?

If I can trust the process in running, why not trust the process in painting?

Maybe becoming better at art works the same way. Maybe improvement comes from trying, practicing, making mistakes, experimenting and learning.

Maybe confidence comes after trying.

There is an idea called a “growth mindset,” which means believing that skills grow through effort, practice and learning instead of believing you are either naturally talented or not.

Instead of saying: “I’m bad at art.” Maybe I should say: “I’m learning art.”

Instead of asking: “Is this painting good?” Maybe the better question is: “What did this painting session teach me?”

A painting does not always have to be perfect. Sometimes its job is simply to teach you something.

I also love this idea: “You can’t do it… yet.” That tiny word, yet, changes everything. Maybe you are not amazing today. But with practice, patience, mistakes, feedback and consistency, you can improve.

That is true in sprinting. That is true in art.

And honestly, I think that is true in life.

Because four weeks ago, I was too scared to even begin.

Now, I am learning to trust the process.