The Joy of Making Mistakes - Part II

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly -- at first.

Let’s think about this. Isn’t this the way the world works? We all make mistakes while we’re learning something that's new and important to us. How did you do the first time you sat down at your computer and turned on your new Word Processor? You composed a perfect letter, didn’t you? Yeah, right!

Making mistakes is an important part of learning something worth learning. We learn from our mistakes and we learn even better when a caring mentor, a coach, a teacher,  or a parent, is working with us to help us find the areas that need improvement and then assists us in making that growth.

If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not pushing the limits and not growing. Rita Davenport, an outstanding motivation speaker and author, told her skiing instructor, “I skied all morning and didn’t fall one time” and he said, “Then you mustn’t be pushing yourself enough. Move over to a more challenging course.”

If Jody is getting 100% on all of her math tests maybe the problems are too easy for her. Maybe that's why she looks bored at math time. I'll bet that she would enjoy the challenge of being stumped once in a while or at least have to work her brain hard until she gets the right process or answer.

Not making mistakes is a signal from the learner to you - letting you know it’s time for you to help her grow to a new and higher level.

Sports Example

Part of coaching is recognizing when your player or players are ready to add a new skill or a new improvement onto something they have already achieved.  It really comes under the category we call “growth”. 

Jeanne has been doing well learning to dribble the ball - now she can learn how to dribble without looking down at the ball - and she will fumble or double dribble while she is learning. 

Chris has been doing well learning how to pass that soccer ball - now she can be taught how to lead that winger who is on the dead run - and sometimes her passes will be too far ahead or too far behind. 

Pat is now ready to learn how to set up the spiker with a soft, high feed pass - and sometimes it will be too low or too high - and she will learn on every attempt.

It’s the same on the hockey ice, the lacrosse field , the water polo pool, the rugby field. . . .