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Why making mistakes is no bad thing and can make your life even better

The word “mistake” can often lead to fear of  either making one or feeling silly because we made one. But the thing is we've all made them. Its no coincidence that the sayings “to err is human” or “live and learn” are used so frequently!

Believe it or not mistakes can be a truly positive force in our lives…..honestly! Want to know why? Read on……

Making mistakes shows that we are normal functioning human beings. We all do it. If we didn’t there would be something very wrong with us! Furthermore, if we didn't we wouldn’t be very interesting people as we wouldn’t be trying anything new ever. As George Bernard Shaw stated;

   “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honourable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing”

 In reality, making mistakes are a great test of our character and can help us push ourselves to be everything we can be. If we err and endeavour to try again we can make things/situations better. When we are able to accept we got it wrong and not be too proud to have another go, or find a new way to solve the problem, we really find out just who we are. The question is are you a quitter or a winner?

My Mum has always drummed into me that its okay to make a mistake as long as you don’t keep repeating it! That takes courage to try a new approach that may still, at that point in time,not bring the solution and lead to another mistake. What it does do is rather than bringing failure, as many mistakes are seen, it brings incredibly valuable learning! Thomas Eddison was fond of saying ;

    “Ive not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that wont work” and,

Nobel Prize winner, Neils Bohr said;

   “An expert in a field is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field”.

I really love what Bohr says, and he is right. Have you noticed that the people I have quoted today are those who have become great and respected in their individual fields? Think about their message. If we don’t make mistakes we are not learning and cannot become brilliant. If you do not make mistakes your life is a dull non-existence.

We all hear the phrase “personal growth” every day. Many of us are searching for it. Well, lets start with understanding that  personal growth comes from having made and continuing to make mistakes.

Personal growth requires integrity, to be inspirational to others and live life fully. Those attributes will only come from trying new things, some of which we might get wrong or are the wrong choices for us. As you can see making mistakes is essential in life.

What have I learned from my mistakes?

I disliked school intensely and whilst my results were good they weren’t a patch on what they could have been.  I returned to education at 29 and began a journey in Law and Education up to Masters level and being appointed as Head Teacher. I worked so damned hard at university and through out my career as I had learned that education was, for me, incredibly important and without it I would be frustrated as no one took me seriously. Added benefits were that my children walked with me throughout this time as did my husband. I'd like to think it showed them that it is never tooo late I life to address mistakes and change your life.


Making a mistake does not make you a failure, stupid, idiotic or any of the other harsh words or phrases we tell ourselves. Next time we make one we need to stand back and remind ourselves we are good people trying to do good things, we are infallible but can face our fears of failure, and vow not to  repeat the same behaviours and expect a different outcome.
Who is with me? I'm going to be much kinder to myself this year and stop chastising myself. Onwards and upwards! Alexander Popes 1711 poem, from which we often quote, is about not only erring as being human but to treat those who make mistakes as God would by forgiving them. That surely applies to forgiving yourself too?

 Ah ne'er so dire a Thirst of Glory boast,
Nor in the Critick let the Man be lost!
Good-Nature and Good-Sense must ever join;
To err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine.
Have a fabulous week and remember , you are not stupid you are just on life's learning curve!
Why not join our fun private group on Facebook. It's perfect for women over 50 who 
Refuse to be invisible!
Namaste
Janie S xxx



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