I have no qualifications. Last year, I adopted the growth mindset... This year, I took my first exam!
Last year, I decided I wanted to change career paths. Before then, I was a mobile app developer but I wasn't fulfilled.
Sadly, throughout my teenage years I suffered from illness which prevented me from getting qualifications. It was at this point, last year, I decided to go to college and start working toward gaining my GCSEs (English, math and biology) so I can pursue a diploma in medicine.
If you had of told me last year that I was going to pursue medicine, I'd have laughed at you. But that was all before I adopted the growth mindset.
The day I decided I wanted to change my path, I made a pact with myself. I sucked at math and I needed to improve my skills. So from there on out; I promised myself I'd study an hour a day on Khan Academy every day.
And so I did... Fast forward 7 months and the benefits are immeasurable. I went from grade 4 to grade 8 in this time, my problem solving abilities have increased 10 fold and I've just completed my first math exam (Still waiting on the results!). Getting things wrong no longer scares me, I'm able to approach something difficult and not be too intimidated by it.
I'm still studying my maths every day (and will continue to do so long after it is necessary!) and I'm also revising for my science course which starts at the end of this year. To achieve this, I'm using the pomodoro technique to manage my time and keep productive. As it stands right now, I spend 2 hours a day every day (so 14 hours a week) studying for both maths and science.
What I've learnt over the last 7 months has probably been one of the most life changing lessons I've had. Keeping up persistence when learning is so important, being resilient to feelings of failure and adopting the school of thought that you can learn things is insanely powerful.
If all of this has happened in the last 7 months, I can only begin to imagine what the impact of the growth minset will have on my life over the next few years!
As it stands, the biggest course I have to start will be next year. It's whats known as an access course, which are for people like me that don't have qualifications. Its an intensive year long course which gives you all the qualifications you will need for your field of choice. Once I get through that, I will finally be able to apply for university!