MAKING MISTAKES AND LEARNING SOMETHING NEW
One important advantage
of making mistake is learning lessons from them. Whether the lesson is how not to do something or a deeper knowledge about
something, or information about others or how to position yourself for opportunities
;
there must be lessons to be. According to Winston Churchill, ‘All men make mistakes, but only wise men
learn from them.’
However, I don’t like
making mistakes and I doubt if you do. But then, I have come to accept that
mistakes are inevitable; no one is perfect. The same goes for
processes and patterns; none is perfect. Remember, change is the only constant
thing. Mistakes play a crucial role in our learning process especially when it
involves learning something new … and we learn something new every day.
It will surprise you to note that a large percentage
of the advice which we all share with close friends, family, relatives, colleagues
and strangers are mints from deep thoughts and mostly lessons learned from
making mistakes. Hence, we must receive mistakes warmly and learn from them
continually as they occur from time to time.
Obviously, sometimes it is best for us to make our own
mistakes and learn from them because there are so many lessons learnt from
diverse and peculiar situations hence; warranting diverse and conflicting
advice, posts and hints. These are causing contradictory and confusing information
for so many lazy and reluctant people that don’t want to make mistakes at all.
Meanwhile, what we make out of mistakes greatly
depends on individuals and personalities. Some people make excuses out
of mistakes while many others make enterprising things out of them: opportunities,
inspiration, adventures, careers, martyrs, fame and history. So, know
that mistakes and learning go hand in hand.
For example, you cannot learn to play the keyboard
without missing notes and keys. Similarly, you cannot become an NBA star without
practice and missing baskets. You cannot produce a song or a movie without
rehearsing out the mistakes. Mistakes are truly inevitable but they comprise a
reliable way of learning something new: be it in the sciences, arts,
entertainment, style, business, construction, etc.
According
to Alfred Alder, in a script I read a while ago; he said, ‘What do you do
when you learn to swim? You make mistakes. And what happens then? You make more
mistakes and when you have made them all without drowning what do you find?
That you can swim! Life is just the same as learning to swim. Do not be afraid
of making mistakes, for there is no better way of learning.’
What
about learning to ride a bicycle? You similarly make mistakes: you mistake to balance,
you mistake to pedal, you mistake to look forward or apply the brakes and much
more. And the outcome is mostly: you will fall, or not move, hit something or
someone or be hit by someone. But what happens after a while? You realize you
can ride the bicycle with ease and without mistakes. That is life for you and
it is applicable to career, family, business, arts, sports, etc.
Finally, don’t beat yourself up about your mistakes. Wallowing
in self-pity will kill your drive, disempower you, slow you and make you
begin to struggle. And despite the fact that mistakes always cost something; money,
time, energy, integrity, accountability and sometimes,
embarrassment, learning from them will save you much more in the nearest future!
Remember, mistakes also bring about creativity and innovations. So
what do you think about mistakes? Kindly share your thoughts as comments for we
all to learn.
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