I began experiencing difficulties in Primary 4 when math became more advanced. It required more effort, and I struggled to keep up. Before that, I had been a top student who understood things easily without much studying. But math was different.In Primary 4, I started to believe that I wasn’t good at math. It seemed like all my previous success was because the material had been easy. This belief stuck with me, and I assumed I was just one of those people who weren’t naturally good at it.As we moved into more advanced topics, things got cloudy, and I would zone out. I didn’t make an effort to practice more or ask for help from my teachers or classmates.
My fixed mindset held me back from trying to improve.In SS1, things got worse. My math teacher, passionate about the subject, gave us weekly tests, but it was a nightmare for me. Failure after failure. I couldn’t get past my belief that I wasn’t cut out for math.A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability are set in stone—genetically determined. It’s either you know it or you don’t, and there’s no room for growth or learning from failure.
This mindset keeps you stuck.Many people think talents like painting, writing, or music are natural gifts, not skills that can be learned. So when they try and fail, they give up, thinking they’re just not cut out for it. Even if it was their dream.On the other hand, people with a growth mindset believe that everything can be learned with effort and determination.
You may not be a natural, but with hard work, you can reach the same heights as someone who is.It’s surprising how many people have a fixed mindset in certain areas of their lives, but a growth mindset in others. We can achieve more if we take a hard look at the areas where we’ve limited ourselves and start making efforts to grow.For me, if I hadn’t had a fixed mindset about math and put in the effort, maybe I’d be a scientist or even a doctor now. But when it was time to choose a path, I avoided science because I feared math.I ended up in the humanities, and while I love it, I chose this path out of fear of math-related courses.
Now, I’m thinking of buying math textbooks and teaching myself. It’s not impossible. It’s all about effort.If you, like me, have areas in your life where you’ve held yourself back because you believed you weren’t a natural, maybe it’s time to rethink. Start putting in the effort, be determined, and give yourself the chance to grow.It’s really not about being a natural. It’s about having the patience and persistence to learn and develop. You can excel in areas you once thought impossible. Image source
