Why you need to love making mistakes

Why you need to love making mistakes
Santa Barbara

The fear of making a mistake holds us back. It prevents us from taking on a challenging project at work that could advance our career and make us better professionals. It stops us from starting to work for ourselves or launching our own business. It prevents us from starting the relationships we deserve. The fear of making a mistake keeps us in one place, and our modern world is aptly described by a quote from Lewis Carroll's "Alice Through the Looking Glass."

"Here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

If you are feeling something like this now:

— want to start a project;
— do something;
— have an idea...

💡
just start with the first and simplest obvious step, and then

Stream of consciousness will help you

If you already have thoughts and information for your business or project, just start acting. Many business and management books teach starting with a long-term goal and perspective. They tell us: don't even think about starting without it. There's truth in that, and that's how large companies operate. But revolutions and new technologies are mostly created by startups.

Starting something new is a game

Right now, you are on the first level. You know what needs to be done here and now. You can guess what awaits you on the next level, and maybe even on the third. But you definitely can't know and aren't ready for the 81st. And that's fine. As you progress level by level, you gain experience and learn more and more. Therefore, it's even great to start a journey not knowing where it will lead you because along the way, you will encounter many new things and turn in the best direction for you.

The main thing is consistency

Just go through one level each day. If you can do more, do more. The main thing is not to drive yourself too hard. It's better to do a little every day than a lot in one day and then quit everything. What seems impossible now will become elementary in a year.

When starting a new project, mistakes are inevitable, and that's normal. They help you learn and develop, becoming steps on the path to success.

Mistakes are an integral part of any learning process. They give you the opportunity to see what works and what doesn’t and adjust your actions. With each new step, you become more confident and experienced.

Accept mistakes as part of the journey

It's important to understand that mistakes are not failures but opportunities for growth. Your attitude towards mistakes determines your success. If you see only negative in them, it will hinder your progress. But if you perceive them as lessons, you will quickly adapt and improve your skills.

Examples of great mistakes

History is full of examples where mistakes led to great achievements. Take, for example, the story of the Airbnb startup. Initially, founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia tried to launch a company offering inflatable mattresses for overnight stays. The idea did not resonate with users, and the startup was on the brink of failure. But instead of giving up, they changed direction and created a platform for renting housing worldwide. Today, Airbnb is a multi-billion dollar company, and their initial "failure" became the foundation for subsequent success.

Example

Writing a text is like completing a small project, so here is my model, which can be extrapolated to the model of launching a project.

I write text in 5 stages:

  1. Pour out a stream of consciousness, not paying attention to connections. The goal is to express all thoughts (it turns out to be a rare nonsense of a mentally ill person).
  2. Edit: rearrange, remove excess, build logic.
  3. Let others read, get feedback, and edit.
  4. Send for spelling check.
  5. Illustrate.

Conclusion

Don't be afraid to start and make mistakes. This is a natural part of the path to success. The main thing is consistency and the willingness to learn from your mistakes. Each step, even if it seems unsuccessful, brings you closer to your goal. Start small, move gradually, and remember that every great project begins with the first step.

"In my life, I've missed more than 9,000 shots. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan