Take Feedback is the hardest thing by Hannah

Take Feedback is the hardest thing by Hannah - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

It’s interesting to talk about a time when I learned from feedback, because my lesson actually came from not taking feedback well at all.

I can be stubborn when it comes to doing things the way I believe they need to be done. Because of that, it used to be difficult for me to listen to feedback without becoming defensive first. Whether it was schoolwork, applying to colleges, or even playing board games with my family, I often had a hard time accepting advice from other people.

Eventually, my mother and father had a serious conversation with me about listening to advice and being more open to feedback. My dad told me something that has stayed with me: if someone is taking the time to talk to me and offer feedback, it is usually coming from a place of love and respect, not from a desire to criticize or hurt me.

That idea changed the way I began looking at feedback. I realized that when I spend a lot of time thinking about how something should be done, I become very invested in my plan. If it does not work and someone points out what could have been done differently, my first reaction can be to feel like they are showing me where I failed instead of helping me improve.

Now, even when I disagree with feedback, I try to listen before reacting. I take time to process what the person is saying and look at the situation from another point of view. Instead of assuming someone is trying to prove me wrong, I try to remember that they may simply be trying to help me become better.

I wish I could say I am now completely open to every kind of feedback, but that would not be true. I am still stubborn sometimes. The difference is that now I recognize it, and I am working on it.