Trust the Process: Embrace Growth Over Perfection by Cambree

Trust the Process: Embrace Growth Over Perfection by Cambree - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could give advice to my past self, it would be this: be kind to yourself. Trust the process - growth matters more than perfection. As a younger student I always thought success was a straight line from effort to achievement. I valued grades, awards and approval. Each misstep was a failure - each failure a proof that I was not enough. But eventually I realized life isn't a race to perfection. A journey of resilience, learning and the determination to keep going when things get tough.

My teacher said my essay was excellent, so I remember staying up until 2 a.m. This constant pressure I put on myself was exhausting. I felt anything less than perfect would say something negative about me. I didn't realize then that growth - real, meaningful growth - comes from imperfection. This is learned by asking questions, making mistakes and being honest about where you are and where you want to go.

I would sit down with my past self and say this: You can't just get everything figured out. You can struggle. It is important that you keep showing up, "he said. I wish that advice had saved me from so much self-doubt. That would have made challenges seem like opportunities to learn about myself and the world instead of threats.

For me this perspective shift changed everything. I started thinking about the journey rather than the destination. It was scary taking on leadership because I was not perfect, but determined to improve. I volunteered in my community, tried new subjects, and let myself ask for help. I stopped seeking perfection and sought purpose.

That includes applying for this scholarship. I know there is more to learn, more to experience and more ways to grow. But I trust this process now. But more than any award or accomplishment, that mindset has prepared me for college and beyond.

By giving this advice to my past self, I'm also committing to carrying it forward. Growth over perfection. Process over pressure. Those were the lessons I needed then and ones I will live by today.