Mistakes

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” ~Albert Einstein

I posted this quote to my Facebook Wall, and one of my friends commented, “Sounds like a good topic for a sermon. Amen!"

As I pondered over what to write in my freshman blog, I thought about this quote and my friend’s comment. I thought to myself, “That’s a good blog topic!”

How many reading this blog entry have ever made a mistake? If I could see a show of hands, I would guess that I would have a 100% response.

In thinking of my many mistakes, I can say the major ones stemmed from something new that I was trying. Mistakes happen when you dare to think, act, and live “outside the box”. This is a place outside of your normal “comfort zone”. This is when you dare to challenge the status quo.

Fear can paralyze us and keep us from trying new things. We fear the consequences that unsuccessful results may bring. This fear can stop our progress and growth. Often, it is only through trial and error that grand things can be accomplished. It’s a process. We use our mistakes as learning blocks to perfect the process until we realize our desired, successful results. If we fear moving forward because we might fail, then we can never achieve our goals.

The worst plan is the one never implemented. Even something planned that did not go as well as expected, is better than not implementing a plan at all. There continues to be forward movement. We learn from our mistakes and work to improve the plan. The key to a successful plan is to look at the big picture with the end goal in mind.

If you need motivation to try something new, follow these steps:

1. Press past your fears. For many, the first step to trying new things is releasing the anxiety of failure. If we accept that mistakes happen and are part of the learning process, then we are able to move beyond fear into action and implement our plans. Proceed forward with confidence in yourself and faith in God. Fear and faith cannot co-exist. Choose which one you will allow to guide your steps. Decide to either be paralyzed (by fear) or propelled (by faith).

2. Seek God. On some plans, we can spin our wheels, continue to make mistakes, and never see our desired, end result. This is because the plan is absolutely not sanctioned by God. I like the Message Bible’s version of Proverbs 19:21: “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails.” God can use mistakes, failure, and denials to steer us in the intended direction. However, if you have been “trying” to implement a plan for years and never have any success and cannot seem to turn your mistakes around, examine your plan. Pray about your plan. Seek God. Your plan may not be in His will.

3. Extinguish insanity. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The bottom line is that you have to do something different to get something different. If you keep repeating the same actions that lead to the same mistakes, you will certainly get the same results. Now, that’s just crazy! Take a walk on the sane side for a change. Try something new related to your plan.

4. Learn from past mistakes. Use past mistakes as lessons for present planning, and as stepping stones for future success. If you are extinguishing insanity and deciding to stop repeating past mistakes, you can reflect on what went wrong in the past. Implement steps that are counterintuitive to your past thinking and actions. Brainstorm specific ways to take a new approach based on what did not work before.

5. Celebrate small successes. Don’t let mistakes discourage you. Focus on the victories along the path to your end goal. I like to look at what is right in a situation, instead of what’s wrong. I look at what I do have, not at what I don’t have. As my favorite radio morning show host frequently says during his inspirational moment, “Your outlook determines your outcome.” If you focus on the small successes, and use your mistakes as tools for improvement, you will have positive results in the long run. Positive thoughts bring positive results.

6. Keep the end goal in mind. Don’t let mistakes distract you. Let them propel you toward your end goal. Press toward the mark. Remember, it's a process. Getting to the end goal is like running a marathon. It takes time. If you try to sprint the whole 26 miles, you will not likely make it to the finish line. At some points during the marathon, you might get side or leg cramps. You stop, stretch, and rest for a while until the cramps subside, but you continue in the marathon. You will get thirsty along the way or need an energy bar. You stop, eat, drink, and continue on in the marathon. Mistakes are like these pit stops in a marathon. A skilled, marathon runner, regulates his or her pace, stops when needed, makes necessary adjustments along the way, but stays in the race until the end.

Make a bold move today. Set aside your fear of mistakes, and try something new!


Jacinta M. Gray,
The Couch Coach