The Magic of Mistakes

"Genius? Nothing! Sticking to it is the genius! ... I've failed my way to success."

-Thomas Edison (It took Edison over 1,000 tries before he invented a light bulb that worked!).

One of the biggest "booboos" in history was Columbus' "discovery" of America, while trying to figure out the quickest route to India. Other legendary "errors" are: penicillin, Teflon, the Frisbee, chocolate chip cookies, Coca cola, and "post-it" notes, naming but a few.

We all begin as experts in trial and error (watch any toddler learning to walk and talk), but quickly learn that mistakes are to be avoided rather than embraced. What might it be like if we were encouraged to cherish our mistakes, investigating and understanding how the world works and how to make things work better, more creatively and differently?

• Mistakes as opportunities - without them, individuals and cultures would wither and die, so treasure them as invaluable guides and learning experiences.

• Why make infallibility the goal? - the need for perfection often stultifies ingenuity, creates anxiety and presents excuses for not finishing or accomplishing the task at hand.

• Change your self-talk - monitor that inner dialog, eliminating the idea of failure (or the labels "stupid" or "incompetent"), for having done something incorrectly. What did you learn from those blunders and how does it motivate you to do things differently?

• Figuring out what does work - inspired trial and error is the sure path for getting to the best solution, eliminating what hasn't worked and steering clear of dead ends.

• Blunders, botches, slip-ups, goofs (and all their cousins), are steps along the way toward better ideas and discoveries – competency is often achieved after many "failures". It's tenacity that ultimately counts!

• Gateways to invention and innovation - a variety of goofs and gaffes often pave the way to that "Aha!" moment, knowing when you've hit upon the right idea or explanation (or provided the inspiration for an entirely new concept or creation).

• Appreciate the learning curve - information isn't just ingested, with immediate knowledge of how to do something. How did you learn to use a computer, play an instrument, attain athletic prowess? Would you have become as knowledgeable and proficient if you did it "right" the first time?

• Develops elephant hide - gives you lots of experience and confidence in warding off the judgments of "naysayers", learning to handle rejection, and the firm belief in your own opinions, innovations and ideas.

• Early warning system - the brain is hardwired to give signals as a reminder to avoid repeating painful mistakes, providing a blueprint for making more informed decisions in the future. What benefits have you derived from past mistakes?
on after life-altering mistakes - whether there was a botched marriage, career path, financial decision or something that had great consequences, the past cannot be changed. Time to assess the flaws or faults in those areas and be mindful (and have a plan), about using the past as a prologue to a better future.

•Gets you going - even when initially headed in the wrong direction, the important thing is that the process has begun. It's fear of failure that paralyzes the possibilities for success.

And remember, taking action is the catalyst for change!

Mired in Misperceptions

Doth you project too much? Assigning the same beliefs, ideas or values to others without validating the veracity of those (projected) convictions, can lead to misunderstandings, misinterpretations, incorrect comprehension and cognitive goofs. Holding onto beliefs solely because they are familiar and comforting, (yet often untested and unchallenged), can lead to self-fulfilling prophesies rather than creative and original thinking:

• When looking back upon errors in judgment, how often were they based upon a lack of knowledge, experience, exposure or open-mindedness?

• Where are these opinions etched in stone? Just because "everyone says", or something is written, it still behooves the reader/participant to examine additional sources, suggestions and ideas.

• Beware of misconceptions created and perpetuated by films, television, the internet, etc. -confusing real life with the (mis)information or the ideal projected in the media often leads to unreal expectations and disappointments.

• Gender differences often lead to miscues and misconceptions about messages (supposedly) given and/or desired by the opposite sex-ask for clarification whenever possible, or get reliable feedback from a trusted friend of the opposite sex.

• Believing that the past is prologue to the future- if someone or something strongly influenced your life in the past, they will ALWAYS determine your feelings and behavior.

• Are irrational beliefs distorting thinking and behavior patterns- ex. seeing yourself as a victim (Why do bad things ALWAYS happen to me?), anything less than perfection is NOT okay, viewing most problems as catastrophes or being "devastated" by disappointments.

• Try putting different attitudes and beliefs in historical perspective- it wasn't all that long ago that there was an uproar about "giving" women the right to vote, or consider the "truisms" promulgated about race in the U.S. prior to the civil rights movement.

• Memory is often kind- it's easy to remember the times we're right, but when wrong, readily forgotten. Try keeping a log of your attitudes and values, checking regularly to see if those notions still hold weight for you.

And remember, taking action is the catalyst for change!