Saturday, June 29, 1996

Go out and make a lot of mistakes

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not doing anything. Action is the only way to accomplish anything, and taking action will bring mistakes.

So often we try to hide our mistakes, and deny them even to ourselves. Instead, we should take pride in the fact that we’re out there trying. There is no better learning experience than making a mistake -- that is, if you’re willing to admit that you’ve done so. When you acknowledge your mistakes, you have a better understanding of how to proceed. After all, you have firsthand experience with what DOESN’T work. That’s valuable and useful knowledge.

All successful people constantly review their past actions and look for ways to improve on them. Imagine that -- they’re anxious to find mistakes even in situations that are generally considered to be successful. Does that tell you something about the value of mistakes as a learning experience?

As you continue to take action, and to learn from the results of those actions, you develop a working knowledge of how to be effective. With this knowledge you can become whatever you want to be.

— Ralph Marston

Make a difference Risk and Fear next

Copyright ©1996 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.