Some people get upset when they make a mistake. And if they make too many, some get depressed, discouraged, and might even give up on trying something new altogether.
I suggest that mistakes don't exist.
If you try your best and it doesn't work, it's an invitation to learn — an invitation to discover what you need to do better than what you were doing. There's an improvement to be made somewhere, somehow.
Every mistake is an invitation to learn, but only if you did your best. It doesn't work if you didn't really try, because then there's nothing to learn. You simply should have tried harder or better.
There's another kind of "mistake" we talk about — the kind we recognize only after time has passed. You look back on a decision and say, I made a mistake taking that job or I made a mistake marrying that person. But think about it again. When you made that decision, it was the best decision you could make given your frame of mind at the time. You made it with the knowledge, the capabilities, and the level of maturity you had in that moment.
Years later, you've accumulated new information — information you simply didn't have back then. Using that information to judge a decision you made years ago doesn't make sense. You're not the same person. You know more now. That's not a mistake looking back — that's growth looking forward.
What you call a mistake is an invitation to learn.
And when you learn from your mistakes, you gain experience. The more you learn, the wiser you become. Notice I said wiser, not just more knowledgeable. Being knowledgeable means, you understand facts. Being wise means, you understand the repercussions of those facts — what they mean, what they can produce, where they can lead.
That's the difference. And it all starts with how you look at a mistake.
Just thinking,
Founder, Adizes Institute Worldwide A globally recognized expert in organizational transformation and leadership. Founder of the Adizes Institute Worldwide. He has authored 26 books on management, leadership, and problem-solving, translated into 36 languages. Awarded 21 Honorary Doctorates and served as a consultant to six Prime Ministers. Dr. Adizes holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and has taught at Stanford, UCLA, and Columbia University.
The commentary and analysis presented are my personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of The Adizes Institute and its staff and associates. The Mission for this blog is to stimulate thinking and debate which hopefully adds to our better understanding of our world.
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