Choose to change or settle for less

I was not a math person until I chose to become one. 

I labeled myself in high school as not being good at math, settling for mediocrity, and avoiding advanced classes in it.  I think my avoidance might have been a response to my trying hard and still failing – it might confirm that I was somehow flawed. 

Things changed in college where my limits in math became an obstacle to doing well in the subjects I really wanted to pursue.  I came to recognize that my assumed limitation was just my current position, not my identity.  I tried remedial classes and saw that my limitation was changeable – with some practice and focus, I was fully capable of becoming quite competent at math.

The challenge for me was moving from a fixed mindset (that I was bad at math) to what some call a growth mindset (that I could learn, and get better).   What I discovered was that when my fixed mindset became an obstacle to getting what I wanted, I had to choose to change or settle for less.