Good Mistakes

By Dave Balch, "The Stay-at-Home CEO(tm)"

It's good to make mistakes.  That's not a typo, folks, and I
have not lost my mind.  It IS good to make mistakes, and
here's why.

First of all, mistakes are a clear sign that you are trying
new things.  It's always good to try new things because when
you are trying new things you are growing.  If you never try
anything new, how can you improve?  How can you expand?  How
can you innovate?  The simple answer is, "You can't."

Look around you.  With very few exceptions, everything you
see in your physical world is the result of someone trying
something new.  (I realize that mountains and clouds and
birds aren't necessarily the result of someone trying
something new, but work with me here.)  Every single detail
of every single thing is the result of someone trying
something new.  Think about that for a minute.  The chair
you're sitting on; the fabric on the chair; the pattern on
the fabric on the chair; the dye in the pattern on the
fabric on the chair are all the direct result of someone
trying something new.  (These words exist because I was
willing to try something new.)

The automobile is the result of tens of thousands of people
trying tens of thousands of new things.  The assembly
process, the invention and refinement of all of the
materials in the car including upholstery, carpeting, metal,
glass, rubber, and plastic all had to be invented and
perfected.  And then there is the invention, refinement, and
assembly of all of the components in the car and all of the
individual parts of all of the components in the car:
radio/CD/cassette player, windshield wiper motor, engine,
carburetor, transmission, brakes, etc.  Can you imagine how
many mistakes were made before all of these individual
materials and components were perfected and then assembled
into the automobiles we know today?

Another good thing about mistakes is this:  when you are
making mistakes, you are learning.  (At least you better be
learning!)  Consider this:  Edison failed 10,000 times
before he perfected the light bulb.  When asked how it felt
to fail that many times, he remarked that he hadn't failed
10,000 times, but rather had learned 10,000 things that
didn't work.

Finally, when you make a mistake you are that much closer to
success.  Why?

Because when all is said and done, you will have tried some
finite number of things before you succeeded.  Every time
you made a mistake you eliminated one of those things and
are one step closer.

But this all doesn't mean that you should forge ahead with
disregard for the consequences of a mistake.  Quite the
contrary.  When you try something new you have to be willing
to set some reasonable limits so that, in the event that it
doesn't work out the way you want it to, you will be in a
position to try again.

We all have limited resources in the form of time and money
so don't blow them all on one approach to a problem.
Realize that it probably won't be perfect the first time and
allocate these resources appropriately so you can learn,
modify, and try it again.  Only by embracing and using your
mistakes in this way can you make significant advances in
your business and your career.

There is an old axiom that goes, "If you're not making
mistakes, you're not trying hard enough."

So go forth and make mistakes.  And learn.  And grow.  And
prosper.

-------------------------------------------

"Make More Money and Have More Fun" with your small
business!  Dave will show you how with his FREE newsletter,
or his FREE 'Min-E-Seminar':  "Secrets of an Actual $5
Million Home Business."  Visit
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com/art.htm to sign-up, for
information on speaking services, or for copies of past
articles and newsletters.  Comments and/or questions are
always welcome at 1-800-366-2347 or Dave@DaveBalch.com.
(c) Copyright 2002, Dave Balch.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

--------------------------------------

 

YouSaveOnTaxes.com

A Division of Wayne M. Davies Inc.

4660 W. Jefferson Blvd., Suite 220

Fort Wayne, IN 46804

Tel: (260) 459-3858 / Fax: (260) 459-0124

email: YouSaveOnTaxes@aol.com

http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com

http://www.MagneticMarketing.biz

Return To "Free Articles" Page

Return To Home Page