From Mistake To Mastery

Everyone who has gained mastery in any field and in any expert you know today, once started as a beginner. Of course, no one gains expertise as a gift or born with an expert knowledge, but they began somewhere and then walked themselves up to perfection. In the course of the journey, they may have countless mistakes, stumbled at some points, and may have even struggled through "thick and thin," but all these are part of what will lead them to mastery. One of my friends who is a teacher, once said that "mistakes are integral part of the learning processes if you will look positively on it." This is why you should not allow the fear of making mistakes to keep you from taking steps.

_{Image from Pexels}

When trying to learn something new or achieve something that has not been done before, it is not uncommon to make mistakes. However, you should not see the mistakes as a setback or a discouragement, rather you should see it as part of the process of learning. You should hold them valuable because they can teach lessons that will make you to perform better in the next attempt and lead you to mastery. In the course of learning something new, you have to understand that the first step may not be as you have intended, but it should not stop you from trying again. For the fact that you made the mistake is a clear indication that you have indeed made an attempt.

Mistakes, oftentimes, reveal areas that need to be worked upon and they can show the places of weakness that should be taken note of, so that more work can be done in them. By doing it, you will help to refine your skills. If you are scared of making mistakes, then you are not ready to take any step. There is nothing that opposes advancement like the over-expectancy of perfection, which can make one scared of making mistakes and as such, they will end up not taking any step. One of the things I have understood about life is that, more often than not, it is better to take a step and make mistake than to keep waiting because of the fear of mistakes and not taking any step. In the former, you would have taken some vital lessons to make you better.

If you have ever watched toddlers learn how to work, you will understand how mistakes can lead to mastery. They will begin with standing, then after a while, they will take the first highly imperfect step and most times, they will fall. The will stand up again and then repeat the same process. After repeatedly taking and falling at the initial step, then they will begin to take a couple of other small steps which they may also fail at, but as they keep at it, they will learn how to walk and from there, they will begin to run. If they are scared of falling at the first step, then they will never take the first step.

_{Image from Pexels}

I once read the story of the inventor, Thomas Edison, and how he was able to achieve his invention after a very long while of trying and failing. From reports, he tried an upwards of a thousand times before he finally achieved what he wanted to invent. When asked about the multiple failures and mistakes that he had made, he responded that he never saw them as failures, rather as ways to learn how not to make it work. He never allowed his mistakes or his errors to prevent him from making further attempts, rather it even motivated him to keep going and of course, he learnt from them.

It is worthy to note that errors or mistakes do not automatically mean failure. A lot of people who have made impact in life in various field of endeavours had their own moments of mistakes, but they never allowed them to define what they can achieve. As long as you want to do something great, then you do not have to be scared of mistakes. If they come, then learn from them to become better. As long as you learn lessons from whatever comes your way and you have become better from it, then it is not completely bad even if it looks negative. Remember that in life, it is not necessarily what happens that ultimately defines you but your response to it.

Thanks for reading