Successful
Mistakes
By Scott
Wilson
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.There are plenty of people willing to do that for you.Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do.Even mistakes mean you’re trying.” –Susan Gale
There is really not much that needs to go
with these words. The first part
addresses something that I see all too frequently. We truly are our own worst enemy. Many folks are so quick to flog and beat
themselves up over various mistakes and failings. They do to themselves what they would never
allow someone to do to another.
From personal experience I think that most
people believe that if they are harsh enough on themselves that they will
change and take a better path. Sadly,
this behaviour generally has the exact opposite effect. We scar our egos and shred our self-esteem
and then we feel even less able to overcome the difficulties that assail
us. Instead, we need to accept our
mistakes and genuinely use them to learn about ourselves and our weak
spots. It’s ok to have flaws and weaknesses. All they are is opportunities to learn, grow
and improve. Like the wise Zig Ziglar
once said:
“Make failure your teacher, not your
undertaker.”
The second part of Gale’s quote is so
equally important. It is a bookend to the
first, don’t be too hard on yourself and love yourself and be proud of your
efforts, capped off with “mistakes mean you’re trying.” I’d amend that statement to “mistakes mean
that you are doing!” You aren’t thinking
about your goals, you are doing something about them!!! Mistakes mean that you working, putting in
the sweat equity, and learning what works and what doesn’t work. That is progress in and of itself, and it is
worth celebrating!
Now go back to the top and read Susan
Gale’s words again. Burn them into you spirit for this week. Make them a shining beacon of encouragement
as you move forward into the challenges that stand between you and your goals!
“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” ―Stephen McCranie
©2017 S.D. Wilson
