Are you afraid to take chances and make mistakes? For many, taking any risk is unthinkable. Others fear failure so much they’re paralyzed. Yet, to grow, you must be willing to take chances and make mistakes to experience awesome growth.
“Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.”
Mary Tyler Moore
Take Chances and Make Mistakes
We often hear someone say it’s OK to take chances and make mistakes. Proceed without fear of failure. This may sound like a platitude. Yet, there’s a great deal of wisdom in the advice.
If you never take a chance, you’ll never have the opportunity to grow. And it’s not just growth, but awesomeness. Remember that you don’t learn if you don’t make a mistake. Many people miss that part of growth.
The Purpose of Pain
Of course, no one likes to feel pain. We’ll do anything to avoid it. For example:
- We use alcohol and drugs to numb the pain.
- Gambling may temporarily block it out.
- Casual sex provides a brief respite for some.
- So does eating more than we should.
- Lavish spending is another compensatory behavior.
Pain, however, has a useful purpose. It forces us to reckon with what matters. When it’s distilled to its essence, pain can promote growth.
Take Chances and Make Mistakes: Growth Stems from Them
We learn, for example, that allowing ourselves to be a doormat for someone we care about doesn’t help our well-being. While making this painful realization may take heartache and break-up, we’ve learned a profound lesson.
- We’re taking tentative first steps toward independence.
- By standing up for ourselves and venturing out to make a better life, we show courage.
- That courage often stems from pain. What spurs us forward is the resolve to do something better and to make the tough choices.
This isn’t to say we should suffer or wallow in silence. Neither of those is helpful nor produces any lasting good effect. However, determine where the pain and sadness originate so you can be proactive to get past it. Deal with it and live your life. Be the real you.
Overcoming Mistakes to Grow
If you flub a work presentation, resolve to be better prepared next time. Envision the satisfaction you’ll feel when you succeed. That’s both feeling and learning from the mistake. It’s how you grow best.
Suppose you take a risk on a big idea, and it falls flat. Acknowledge the mistake. Then, analyze what went wrong. This careful analysis will be invaluable for your next project. There are lessons to be learned. You must learn them. That way, you win, even when you lose.
Bottom line: Never be afraid to make a mistake. Welcome the learning opportunity. The only way to awesome growth is to keep moving forward. Hopefully, you’ll benefit from the lessons your mistakes taught you.
