The power of frustration

I have revised an essay which was originally written by a senior high school student. Please help me make it sound natural. Thanks a lot.

The Power of Frustration

When I was twelve, I took part in a piano competition. In order to get a good A-level results, I worked very hard to prepare the competition. In the beginning, my piano teacher chose a piano piece for me. With her help, I devoted all my energies to the challenge. I spent two hours practicing my music every day. When I attended the piano class, my teacher would instruct me the 3 essential skills of piano playing: memorization, sight reading, improvisation. She also showed me how to solve technical problems, step by step. I pull out all the stops to practice the piano for 2 months before the competition.

The competition day finally came. The air of the competition venue was filled with bitter atmosphere because all the contestants were really hot stuff at playing the piano. When it was my turn, my heartbeat speeded up as I stepped on the stage. I walked to sit at the piano, took a deep breath to calm down myself, and started my performance. The musical sound came out of the piano as my fingers were flying over the keys like swallows darting in a pond for fish. I seemed lost while I was doing.

By the end of the schedule, the result was released. To my disappointment, I was not advanced to the final. The cold hard truth was coming at me. I felt deeply frustrated by the setback because I had made all-out effort for the competition. Thus, I fell into a state of profound melancholy for a few days. My teacher told some sense into me that winning is not everything and no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone out there that is better.

Several days later, I gradually woke up and smelled the coffee, getting over it. I came to realize that life is a competition, but it’s not a race against anyone else. Rather, the real journey is only against myself and unrealized potential. Therefore, I learned several valued lessons from the frustration. For one thing, to appreciate the merits of others. For another thing, the ability to cope with setbacks. Last but not least, to be resilient.

Life is full of ups and downs. Challenges, transitions, and hardships will invariably arise in your life from time to time. Being resilient will reduce the damage the tough times cause and enable you to get back on your feet quicker. Consequently, I take regular action which helps me become more resilient. I am always preparing for the next competition.