This is something that I have to continually remind myself
of. (My failure to remember this fact is part of the reason that it’s taken me
so long to write another post.) I know that mistakes are a part of life, but the
fact that the word has a negative connotation attached to it makes me, like
most people, want to avoid them. Looking at the definition of the word it’s not
hard to see why that is.
Mistake - a fault in understanding,
perception, interpretation. An idea, answer, or act that is wrong; an error.
No one likes to openly admit their faults or wrongdoings
because they’re seen as flaws and flaws are considered bad. But just because
something is generally seen as bad or undesirable, doesn’t necessarily mean
that we have to view it that way. Overtime I’ve come to see that what one
person might consider a mistake another might not and depending on the context
of one’s actions there may not be anything wrong with that; especially if a
given decision does not have a direct impact on anyone other than yourself. For
instance, some individuals may view taking a personal risk as a mistake, while
others would argue that it would be a mistake not to take chances in life.
There’s no way of proving that either of these approaches is always right or
wrong.
Additionally, I’ve learned to recognize that there’s a
difference between conscious and unintentional mistakes. Conscious mistakes, in
my mind, are those instances where you are well aware of the negative
consequences that will undoubtedly follow a given decision, yet you choose to
go through with it in spite of this fact. While these types of mistakes are preventable,
I’d argue that making such errors isn’t entirely detrimental because they have
the potential to teach you valuable lessons. On the other hand, sometimes it’s
not clear that an action is a mistake until after you’ve gone through with it.
These unintentional mistakes are unavoidable and allowing yourself to debate
every decision in life with the worry that you might make the wrong choice or
regret your decision afterwards makes for a pretty unhappy existence.
I was recently flipping through an old InStyle magazine at
work and came across the following quote by Cameron Diaz:
"Fear and failure and
all the things that come with pain are actually the best things for you, if you
go toward them with the purpose of getting stronger.”
I don’t usually take life
advice from such “literature,” but this quotation really stuck with me. I think
it serves as a good reminder that a mistake is only truly a mistake if you
don’t allow yourself to learn from it. With this in mind, I am trying to
appreciate the fact that I will inevitably make mistakes in the future, because
I know that doing so will enable me to experience continuous personal growth for
the rest of my life.
