The benefits in making mistakes and why mistakes are made: By Sentual Strong: September 12th, 2018

©Sentual Strong

No matter how talented a individual thinks they are, that won’t stop the fact that mistakes will be made. Throughout history we as humans made minor mistakes and big mistakes that change history as we know it. Even though most people see the negatives in mistake making, there are surprisingly positives along with making mistakes as well. Are mistakes good now, should we be ok with mistake making, and does everyone make mistakes? The answers to your question will be revealed as you continue to read this article.

So first thing first is that everyone make mistakes for various reasons and various ways. In research, “The average American worker makes 118 mistakes a year at their job” (Becker 1). In all honestly I can say that statement is very true. When you work at a station for a long period of time, there will be days you’ll be bored or tired of doing the same old thing. Which leads you to not give all your effort yet your attention towards your task. Later, you make a careless mistakes because of our careless attitude towards your task you are assigned to do. As well as for people who aren’t so experience will bound to make mistakes at their tasks let alone because they aren’t use to doing it for a long time. Which leads to lack of practice, wonders and questions, and finally forgetting steps at their job.

Now the catch in making mistakes is that they could happen about anywhere. Though they could happen anywhere, it is easier for them to occur at certain places than others. Not only that we have huge tendency of doing the same mistake over and over again due to things like lack of paying attention, laziness, carelessness, fun of expense, crowds, distractions, and so much more. There is a famous quote made by Al Franklin, “Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.” Which is true as human beings our brains can contract so much as well as our bodies and we are bound to mess up because of us only being able to grasp so much at once.

Day by day things happen to us and we tend to lose the memory of our first objective if we don’t completely finish it. It’s just human nature, when we multitask it will be so much harder for us to remember things compare to us just focusing on one thing at a time. Example: If your first thought was about buying you a cereal box for breakfast first thing in the morning. Than seconds later your friend starts to send you pictures of muffins, pancakes, eggs, and other food that’s breakfast related. Finally, to add the finishing touch, your mom calls and says she is cooking waffles with sausages for breakfast tomorrow 20 minutes later from your receiving those photos. In all honesty you are probably going to forget about that cereal box and focus on all the other things that were mention to you about breakfast. Which is normal, we allow distractions or other options tend to change her mind and forget what we wanted at first all the time. Than thats when we tend to make a mistake and forget what was wanted first and go with what seems more interesting for us(despite of the first objective). It’s ok we all do it and sometimes it’s better to not always go with option 1.

Next, a big factor in mistake making having the wrong frame of mind. We tend to skim things and not follow every step of a procedure but what we choose to follow. “We rely on context to guide our perception of everyday events. The better we are at something, the more likely we are to skim” (Homa 1). Which in other words we tend to look at things the wrong way and run with what or first thought is towards a rule, guideline, or whatever that’s instructing is. So instead of thinking all the way first we just go out there and try with the first thoughts that comes to our minds. In to be honest, that leads to many mistakes for us and we do this all the time.

Lastly, to add the icing to the cake on why we make so many mistakes is that we sometimes don’t plan things out. Ultimately in cases as being in a rush, being late to work, or just having a hard moment tends to occur because we didn’t make a plan before hand. “When you don’t have a plan towards something you rising the chances of you making mistakes just by not having a scenario to a possible issue” (Hallinan 84).

There are so many yet too many reasons on why we always make mistakes in this life. No matter what age, where we’re are at, or what we are doing it’s so common to make a mistake or two. So never feel like you’re alone in making a mistake or that specific kind of mistake you tend to make because trust and believe everyone else eventually mess up too. So now I am about to get to the fun part and explain the positives of making mistakes. Like they always say, “When there is a Hell there is a Heaven” and that refers to making mistakes as well.

The positives in making mistakes:

1. It makes you feel welcome as well as others who are watching you:

People have a tendency of feeling afraid to mess up because they don’t want to ever be judge. Well, you never know until you try and when you try than make a mistake you basically over come a fear of yours. Not only you overcome a fear you may even help someone else feel welcome to making mistakes and they could over come their fear as well. It’s a good thing to be exposed to making mistakes especially when someone could be encourage yet learn from watching a mistake you made. We help people from making mistakes a lot more than what we think.

2. It brings comedy yet excitement into life in general:

Have you seen someone make a random yet silly error in something such as a sport or dance? Than, you chuckled a little bit because it appears to be funny. Well that’s another positive benefit from making mistakes my friend. There is a sense of laughter with a mixture of a lesson all in one from viewing mistakes in this life. Never laugh at someone mistake to make them feel bad but take it a sense of having a relatable mistake of your own that you done or still do. FYI it’s usually more respectful to laugh at a harmless mistake someone made than a one that is more serious or fatal.

3. It gets you to think a lot more and allows you to be open minded:

When a flaw is made in something such as a experiment or math assignment, it usually makes you look harder for a correct answer. Mistakes push us to search longer and harder for a proper solution towards a step of success. The more we try, the easier it will be for us to survive and this same statement goes for mistake making. As you progress in life you’ll see that when you make a mistake it could open a better yet more adventurous door to a road of success. Than you’ll be more accepting to hear someone else advice(respectful advice) if they decide to tell you their knowledge.

4. It keeps the confidence right in check:

A lot individuals seems super confident and tough until they make a mistake and look less of a leader. In life there are some people who need a reality check that they aren’t on top of the world. Especially, those who love to point out other people flaws when they have their own to look at. When those kind of people make mistakes trust and believe they aren’t as cocky and loud as they were when they have everything on point.

5. Mistakes create compassion and understanding:

Man when I tell you that mistakes gives us a sense of carefulness and understanding, it truly does. “Mistakes gives us the heart to be more loving and accepting to those who mess up because when people mess up, it gives us a reflection of ourselves all in action” (Moore. 1). We all are human beings not a single person is ever perfect at anything. We have moments when we feel like we’re perfect but trust me those moments unfortunately do not last. So just remember to cheer on those who make flaws when they’re shining as you would want others to do for you.

6. Mistakes gives the experience you may need to grow:

A lovely quote made by Coach John Wooden says, “Mistakes come from doing but so does success.” Absolutely correct I say! You can only have success from doin something and experience the tenseness of carrying on a action. Trust me because I have been there but mistakes can be better teachers than actually teachers. People have a tendency to watch others and complain or nag about their errors yet never have the bravery to go out on the battlefield and do what those people do. In my mind deeply and importantly it’s better to learn from doing than probably any other way in life. Than, the only way you can make a mistake is by doing rather than talking or watching to gain that experience you need that may change who you are forever in a good way.

7. You’ll be a leader in your own mysterious way:

If you ever been criticized or ridiculed for a mistake you made, ignore those judges and haters. The same people who tend to point out people’s errors are the same ones who more than likely aren’t strong enough to point out their own errors. You are truly being a leader by messing up really because you are setting a example of bravery, acceptance, action, and giving a lesson all in one. In life we need mistakes to live and encourage others to live as well. Each and every person had to fail at something before they officially succeed at something in their life at some point. We all need to look at someone else mistake to learn and gain some sense of positivity. As well someone needs to see your mistakes to get the same good feeling at the same time. In reality no matter how experience you are, how talented you are, or whatever else, you, me, and every living creature will make a mistake. Which leads to say that every single person and creature is equal in this life.

And now I am going to end this article with this quote from a legend:

And with a quote of my own: “Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes, that’s what makes every human great.” -Sentual Strong

Sources:

• “7 Reasons why not making mistakes is the biggest.” Luminita D. Saviuc, July 2015
• “Why we make mistakes: frame of mind, skimming, tidiness.” Ken Homa, June 2014
• “The 6 Best Things About Making a Mistake.” Susie Moore, May 23 2017
• “The Average American Worker Makes 118 Mistakes Per Year, and These Are the Most Common.” Sam Becker, November 20 2017