“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life doing nothing.” – George Bernard Shaw
If you are making mistakes, usually that means one of three things…
The first reason that we make mistakes is that we’re trying new things. We’re making mistakes because we are learning. This is the best reason to make mistakes, just be sure to make sure that you learn from the lessons being taught (through successes and failures). We should always look to expand your skill set, and with that will come a lot of trial and error.
The second reason that we make mistakes is due to a lack of focus. In these scenarios, we have the ability to get to the correct solution, but maybe our mind is preoccupied on something else. If we give the problem at hand the attention it deserves, we will get the results that we want. This is an easy fix.
The third reason that we make mistakes is that we might be in over our head…whatever we’re trying to do, maybe it is too complex for our mind to grasp with how we have approached learning that subject. This does not mean that we will never “get it,” but it does mean that we either need a lot more practice or, even better, a new way to think of how to achieve the desired result. If we are still unable to figure it out, we may not have the mental capacity to understand what we are trying to learn. This sounds harsh, but it’s really not. Sometimes we have to confront hard truths. This hard truth is that we all have limitations (physical and mental). The problem here is that most of us use these limitations as excuses to not put in the work. Before we say, “I can’t do that,” we must ask ourselves if we actually tried our best to figure out whatever it is that we’re struggling with. More often than not, the answer is that we haven’t tried everything – not even close – but we aren’t willing to put in that extra effort.
In conclusion, go out there and start making smart mistakes! Don’t do anything that will sink you (financially or otherwise). Read, learn as much as you can by talking with others, then go out and try it. You will make mistakes along the way – that is inevitable. But give your best effort, focus on the task at hand, and grow your skill set. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish when you frame mistakes or failures properly.