Don’t Waste a Good Mistake
One year ago, I penned an article about how my sister-in-law (tongue in cheek) robbed us of a cherished Thanksgiving tradition: Watching Planes, Trains, & Automobiles. I'd argue this movie is at the top of the pantheon of all-time Thanksgiving movie classics, alongside......well, alongside nothing. If there were a Mount Rushmore of Thanksgiving movies, it would have just two heads (John Candy and Steve Martin).
Last night was different, though. We jumped back into our tradition and enjoyed the movie together after the kids went to bed. It was a blast. A hilarious, stressful blast. And my sister-in-law learned from her mistake!
As much as I like to bust her chops (jokingly!), it brings up a topic I think about often. Instead of lamenting our mistakes, hating our mistakes, and regretting our mistakes, we should embrace them. Mistakes are for learning.
Each mistake is an opportunity to learn something about ourselves, the world, and other people. Every screw-up is a chance to find out what doesn't work, inching us ever closer to what does. It's the iterative process of life.
Every success I've had in life can be directly tied to the mistakes that preceded it. Behind every win is a series of losses. Messing up is the admission price to accomplishment.
I was recently meeting with a new client. They were nervous to start budgeting, worried they would fail. Here's what I told them: "The first 2-3 months are going to be a mess. You're going to whiff, make mistakes, and blow it. That's the goal. That's how you learn what works and what doesn't. Once we get through those first handful of months, it will be awesome."
Try budgeting. Make mistakes. Learn. Try again.
Apply for cool jobs. Make mistakes. Learn. Try again.
Practice generosity. Make mistakes. Learn. Try again.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Embrace them. Use them. Examine them. Learn from them. Let them help you get better.
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