Lesson's Learned

The Value of Mistakes in Life

One thing I’ve learned so far in life is that we learn to live through our mistakes—all kinds of mistakes.

It starts the moment we’re born. Our first, let’s call it a “mistake,” is coming out from your mother's womb. Just kidding. But if you think about it…

You go to school. You hit a little kid, and he starts crying. Your mom scolds you, and you realize what you did wasn’t right.

You find your first love as a teenager. One poor decision later, you see the one you desire walking hand in hand with someone else.

You get your first job. You make some mistakes and get fired.

Yet, every mistake brings us one step closer to success. Our parents, teachers, and caregivers tell us not to do certain things. But why do most people give in to the forbidden? Is it part of the process to become better at something?

Consider this: The television advises that certain movies aren’t suitable for your age, but curiosity gets the better of you, and you watch one anyway. The experience leaves you shaken, and years later, you find yourself saying, “Horror movies just aren’t for me.” While it was unsettling at the time, this experience helped you understand your boundaries and preferences, saving you from future discomfort.

However, not all mistakes are created equal. While some errors offer valuable lessons, others can have dire consequences. For instance, committing a crime, like taking a life, isn’t just a mistake; it’s a serious transgression with life-altering repercussions.

This raises an important question: Why do both “minor” and “major” mistakes often feel equally intense? For example, making a mistake at work—especially due to insufficient training—can cause significant psychological distress. Even if no one is harmed, the emotional impact can be profound. Why does personal growth often involve such emotional pain?

In the broader scope of life, people build their world on mistakes of all dimensions. The way they handle them determines their future. The Greeks have a saying: “If you don’t suffer, you won’t learn.”

When I trained a colleague at work, I told her not to be nervous and that she would learn everything through the mistakes she would inevitably make. Does that sound harsh? Perhaps. But there was no malice in what I said. It’s simply reality. I struggled, and I want the next person to know it. I’m here to answer questions and pass on my knowledge, but she will make mistakes. Everything happens for a reason.

Here’s a definition of “mistake” from a more scientific perspective:

“A mistake refers to an error or misunderstanding that occurs when someone does something incorrectly or inaccurately. It can involve various situations, such as making a wrong decision, misjudging a situation, or performing an action that leads to an unintended outcome. Mistakes can be unintentional and can occur because of a lack of knowledge, oversight, misinterpretation, or simple human error.”

Here are a few situations where we can apply the term “mistake”:

- Error in Judgment: Making a wrong choice or decision, such as misjudging a situation or person.

- Misunderstanding:Incorrectly understanding a statement, situation, or instruction.

- Typographical or Calculation Error: Making a typo or miscalculation in writing or math.

- Behavioral Mistake: Acting inappropriately or saying something inappropriate.

Mistakes are a natural part of the human experience and can provide valuable learning opportunities. My advice on handling mistakes is to acknowledge and take responsibility for them, apologize if necessary, assess and correct the situation, learn from the experience, and then move on with a commitment to avoid similar errors in the future.

Life can get weird, and we can do things we didn’t intend to do. How we react to these situations can teach us how NOT to react next time.