Redefining Perfection - The Power of Growth Mindset by Keetan

Redefining Perfection - The Power of Growth Mindset by Keetan - February 2025 Scholarship Essay

Last August, in my first weeks playing college football at Hanover College, I suffered a complete tear of my ACL. It required surgery-grafting my quadricep as my new ACL. My first month of college was a blur of surgery, crutches and attending class with my foot propped up – while enduring some of the most excruciating pain of my life. Calling it an emotional and physical rollercoaster would be an understatement. I believe-now more than ever-that life has a few transformative decisions. You can choose a destructive path, or you can rise above and make it a comeback story – I choose the latter.

As I start my second semester in college, I gravitate back to a realization that has sparked a period of personal growth over the last few years – the Growth Mindset. Like many people these days, we discover information on social media. I follow Andrew Huberman, a Stanford professor in Neurobiology. He recently released a video called “Applying Growth Mindset.” The growth mindset was developed by Dr. Carol Dweck decades ago.

The Growth Mindset counters the Fixed Mindset. The Growth mindset is the belief that talent (intelligence and physical) can be acquired through effort and reinforcing/rewarding hard work. The fixed mindset which adheres to labels, praising people as innately gifted and already “smart, talented, beautiful, etc.” The fixed mindset has noble intentions as no parent/teacher wants to tell their child they are not gifted however it has consequences that can undermine development.

Fixed mindset
- Obsession with perfection and the goal at all costs
- Hiding and lying of results to retain the label of gifted
- Toxic environment of “me versus them”
- Not taking risks into more challenging areas
- Depression in face of adversity

Growth mindset
- Views mistakes as an opportunity to grow
- Seeking out feedback which cultivates connection and community
- Taking risks into new territory
- The journey is the reward

This concept resonates to my core. My whole life I have grown up with separated parents. All I wanted was to make everyone happy and be the perfect child for my mom and dad. I walked on eggshells and if I messed up or forgot something then I was not the perfect kid. I needed to be two perfect kids with both families. The “perfect mindset” traveled with me through school and sports. I live in a working-class town where discipline, work ethic and “do as you are told” attitude prevails. The growth attitude is not prominent here. I was always considered one of the smart kids and wanted to maintain that image but as school became more challenging, I became demoralized and stopped working hard on my assignments let alone seeking out help from others. In high school it accelerated with obsession on being the great son, athlete, and student.

However, recently, I realized that perfection is not what people want but what I thought I needed to matter in this world. We were never promised perfect but only the opportunity of each new day. Success is consistency in the face of injuries, mistakes, other people disagreeing with you and you not believing in yourself. The growth mindset is the attitude that difficulty, struggle and frustration when you are learning are not signs you’ve reached your limits but are signs that you are expanding your limits.

Prior to this mindset shift, this ACL injury would have sunk me into deep depression. The emotions are still present, but with the growth mindset I view it as an opportunity knowing there will not be fairy tale ending. With the support of my community, both families and most importantly the mental strength and belief I have obtained from this, I will grow a little bit better and stronger each day. To me, that will be my version of perfect.