courage to grow scholarship essay

courage to grow scholarship essay

The Importance of Overcoming Challenges to Achieve Personal Growth

1. Introduction

Personal growth is an ongoing process that lasts for a lifetime. It is a way for people to assess their skills and qualities, consider their aims in life, and set goals in order to realize and maximize their potential. The concept of personal development is not only limited to self-development but also involves formal and informal activities meant to develop others as well. The process of personal development is triggered by various factors. Whether from a traumatic life experience, increasing one’s success in a particular area, or simply a change in environment, personal development will always play a significant role in a person’s life. There are a few different ways to achieve personal development. People strive to attain better physical health through changes in diet and exercise. They seek mental health by learning new skills or increasing knowledge. The most popular method of personal development is to set clear achievable goals and then work from the starting point. During a person’s pursuit of personal development, there are two primary sources of insight and direction: internal and external. Regardless of an individual’s focus, it is often the case that developing an increasing understanding of an area will be driven by an inward desire. Whether the situation is to cure an illness or to increase literacy, the desire within the individual should be the main drive. Internal drive is the desire and passion to make a change in a person’s life, and the more desire a person has for change, the more likely the change will be successful. Internal drive is affected by an individual’s self-concept, and an improvement in self-concept often leads to a higher level of personal development. The second source of insight and direction is external and comes from others who may provide information, guidance, or encouragement. This information may be a valuable tool to clarify a person’s current situation and to evaluate the steps required for more progressive changes in the desired area. It is important for people to discern between reachable and unrealistic goals, and often receiving advice from others is a good way to find out what is really possible.

2. Section One: Understanding the Courage to Grow Scholarship

It’s a well-known fact that human beings tread in their lives through a pattern of unpredictable changes which can be thrust upon them or are chosen by their own selves. The power to deal with these changes and the positive outcomes derived from the said changes are referred to as personal growth. An event in my life which has influenced me tremendously and provided me with the courage and strength to grow is my decision to contest the GCE A Level Examinations as a private candidate and subsequently apply for entry into the local universities. It all started on a dark cold night. I had just returned from my graduation ceremony. The look on my father’s face during the ceremony told me all. He had felt the crushing burden of having to pay almost twenty thousand dollars for my tertiary education. This is not much for many families but my father is a single parent earning not much more than a thousand dollars a month. He had mentioned to me that night that I should consider applying for a job as a clerk as an alternative to sitting at home and doing nothing for a year while I work my problems with my knee injury. A job would enable me to gain financial independence and aid him in paying the bills. However, at this juncture, I had reached a decision. I had told him that I would not give up on my education for I knew the alternatives and the consequences of accepting the alternatives. My decision had my father worried, concerned, and anxious but he agreed to my decision and even offered to finance my education in Australia on the grounds that I obtained a qualification in order to enter a university there. This event marks step one of my journey. I had managed to secure financial support for my education but the journey would become an even harder one. The smile of relief and happiness on my father’s face when I later obtained a scholarship which covered the cost of my education in Australia is a sight I will keep in my heart for the rest of my life.

3. Section Two: Demonstrating Resilience in the Face of Adversity

Adversity can take many forms such as loss of a life, a financial downturn, deteriorating health, or a rebellious child. Each of these events can easily disrupt the fragile balance of a person’s life and throw him or her into a downward spiral. It is important to remember, however, that the response to adversity is what truly defines the person. It is in the face of adversity that true growth often occurs. It is all too easy to shut down and give up when difficulties arise. Resilience is the ability to roll with the punches and get back up and try again. In the face of trauma, resilience is often what carries a person through the event rather than getting stuck at the depth of despair. Resilient individuals are able to utilize their skills and strengths to cope and recover from problems and challenges. They maintain a tapestry of social, familial, and work-related connections that can act as powerful resources for healing. The maintenance of a positive view of one’s self and confidence in their strengths and abilities is a characteristic of resilient individuals. Perhaps one of the most important ways that resilience is demonstrated is acceptance of a situation that cannot be changed followed by the ability to muster the will to change the things that can be changed. This is often said to be part of a prayer that originated from a 12th-century physician named Ernest Hemingway. Completing one’s struggles with a hardship, particularly by going on to help others who are now in the same situation, is a testament to the resilience and growth that can arise from adversity. By helping others, the cycle of negativity is much more likely to be broken and a move towards issues being resolved and a better situation for all involved is much more attainable.

4. Section Three: Pursuing Personal Growth and Academic Excellence

By now it should be quite apparent that failure in and of itself does not guarantee personal growth. It is essential to understand and learn from your experiences, positive or negative, and then use this new knowledge for the future. There are those who believe that simply going through life experiences a person will automatically develop and grow. This is by no means the case. An experience can be a set of circumstances that one lives through and it can often have little effect or result in any learning. For an experience to bring about growth, a person must be conscious of the fact that there is an opportunity to learn upon reflection of the experience. This is a major factor that determines whether a person makes the most of an opportunity. Not only must there be a will and awareness of the chance to learn and develop for growth to occur, but one must also evaluate their values, the guiding beliefs that are used as a basis for decision making. Growth of an individual is a very broad topic that can be approached from numerous different angles. Whether a person is right or wrong in whatever they do may depend strongly on one’s own values, yet it is when they do something that is contrary to their values, or conversely something that helps to define these values, that an opportunity for growth arises. By realizing the inconsistency between their actions and beliefs, a person can often learn a great deal about themselves and what is important to them. This may lead to a change of direction in life and is indicative of growth and increased understanding. Value is added to one’s life when they live consciously and reflect on their experiences. This may be a difficult and unpleasant task at times; however, it is in these moments of dissonance and confusion and the confronting of hard truths that gain an opportunity to learn, change, and grow.

5. Conclusion: Embracing the Courage to Grow Mindset

This is in contrast to a person who believes in a fixed view of intelligence and abilities. This person is more likely to avoid challenges because they are oriented toward goals of validating their intelligence instead of developing it. If they can do something without putting forth much effort, it doesn’t make them less intelligent, and it’s a safer option. So it would be illogical to take on something that may show they are not intelligent in a particular area. This type of person may still be forced into a challenge and will see it as a threat to their intelligence and ability. The negative outlook and low commitment may lead to alienation from the goal, and in the event of failure, a belief that the abilities were not there to begin with.

The “courage to grow” mindset is essentially the desire to give effort, make a meaningful contribution, take on challenges, and learn from them. This desire is fueled by the belief that changing one’s intelligence and ability is possible. People with the “courage to grow” mindset believe that they are in control of their futures and are not merely victims of fate. This is extremely important when considering personal growth through meeting and overcoming challenges. A person with a “courage to grow” mindset sees the challenge as a tool for improving their abilities and is not deterred by the possible negative outcomes. Because of this, they are more likely to be committed to the challenge and put more effort into meeting their goals. This strong commitment can lead to a positive outcome, and even if the goal is not met, the mindset and increased abilities remain a benefit attained from the challenge.

We have an option when we are met with adversity. Do we run from a challenge with our tail between our legs, or do we take it on as an opportunity for growth and development? You should remember your goals in life. If you are a person who sees life as a journey, you would be more inclined toward the “courage to grow” mindset. If you are a person who sees life as something that has to be endured, you are more likely to avoid challenge.