Mistakes are a fact of life.
It is the response to error that counts.
—Nikki Giovanni—
We’re not perfect. Our mistakes are consistent with the lessons we’ve been assigned to learn. We strive for perfection in ourselves and sometimes we demand it of others. And when we fall short of the mark, we frequently feel that all is lost. The most important and timely lesson any of us can learn today is that doing our best is
as close to perfect as we need to get. Since falling short of the mark is the norm among us, a second lesson is to learn to accept this fact. What counts is the effort. And even with our best efforts we can’t be sure of the outcome. However, the outcome will be more satisfying if we are confident that we’ve done all we were able to do.
Shame over mistakes, or over shortcomings in general, is certain to exaggerate and multiply the negative self-opinions that generally haunt those of us who demand perfection. And the result is even more mistakes, because our attention is diverted from the task at hand. We must believe that mistakes are the guideposts to the destination we’re headed for.
All is not lost if I err today. Mistakes help me stay on course, providing I’m willing to learn from them.