Mistakes Are Just Opportunities For Learning Something New...

41 replies
This is a story about a famous research scientist who had
made several very important medical breakthroughs. He was
being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked him why
he thought he was able to be so much more creative than the
average person. What set him so far apart from others?
He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an
experience with his mother that occurred when he was about
two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of
milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the
slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over
the kitchen floor--a veritable sea of milk!
When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of yelling
at him, giving him a lecture, or punishing him, she said,
"Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I
have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the
damage has already been done. Would you like to get down
and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it
up?"
Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, "You
know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this,
eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything
to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that? We
could use a sponge, a towel, or a mop. Which do you
prefer?" He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up
the spilled milk.
His mother then said, "You know, what we have here is a
failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk
bottle with two tiny hands. Let's go out in the back yard
and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover
a way to carry it without dropping it." The little boy
learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the
lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it.
What a wonderful lesson!
This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that
moment that he knew he didn't need to be afraid to make
mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just
opportunities for learning something new, which is, after
all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the
experiment "doesn't work," we usually learn something
valuable from it.

#learning #mistakes #opportunities
  • Profile picture of the author Jason Ng
    We never fail, instead, we have just discovered a new way that will not succeed.

    In order to achieve success from internet business, we have to fail as fast as possible to achieve success as soon as possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    It does not matter where you are coming from,
    All that matters is where you are going.
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    • Profile picture of the author naruq
      When you make mistakes you are able to grow as a person. Nobody goes thru life without making any mistakes.
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  • Profile picture of the author MatthewPope
    I love making mistakes. I learn and grow so much from..both in my business and personal life. I see the amount of success one has as being equal to the amount of mistakes and blunders one is willing to make.
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  • Profile picture of the author poppatopz
    I have no problem with making mistakes as long as those mistakes don't put my family in to trouble and by the grace of god i hope that what mistakes i do make i can learn from and better myself from.
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    • Profile picture of the author David.Beckman
      You just always have to remember to put your mistakes in context and not allow them to affect you for an undue amount of time. A bad day is just that bad day - cant allow that to urn into a bad week or month though
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      • Profile picture of the author queenbuzzy
        My mom used to have a decorative tile that said,

        "There's no use in making mistakes unless you learn from them."

        At one point, one of us dropped it and it split in half. My mom just superglued it back together and proudly displayed it on our coffee table.

        The thought of that just makes me smile.
        Signature
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        • Profile picture of the author keithaul
          remember, without mistakes we could never have enjoyed the forum in which we communicate now. The opportunity lie within the problem. The problem must occur first, before before the opportunity arises.
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  • Profile picture of the author Vincelog
    Hi Expression,

    This is a great story and we do need to know that mistakes we make are valuable lessons that we can learn from and from. We should view mistakes as valuable lessons rather than something that we should fear.

    I had written an article on viewing mistakes and you can read more about it for more info.

    Cheers
    Vincent
    Personal Development Blogger
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes



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    • Profile picture of the author keithaul
      Remember, unless we allow ourselves to make mistakes, to fail, we will never have the opportunity to test our limits of what we are truly capable of accomplishing.

      Thomas Edison, when in the process of inventing the incandescent light, went through 10,000 different experiments to find the solution. These 10,000 different experiments were his failures, his mistakes.
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      • Profile picture of the author Expression
        The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting."
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    • Profile picture of the author shashini
      It's true
      we can learn something new
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    • Profile picture of the author Daret
      Originally Posted by Expression View Post

      Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting."
      Awesome! Thanks for the posts Expression.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sakkid
    ..And the moral of the story is:Making a mistake is not the problem.The problem is not learning from it.....Very true i'd say!
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  • Profile picture of the author Newbie2IM
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Grace Jen
      Hello everyone, how are we all today? Having a wonderful day? Enjoying nice sunshine or winter?

      Hey Sakkid, I totally agreed with what you said there. Making mistake is not a big deal, but not learning from mistake could be a problem

      Obviously we can't expect a different result if we keep doing the same thing again, again and again, right?

      Behind every crisis, there is a golden opportunity to turn thing around to your advantage and propsperity!
      So, let's us not afraid of making mistake, but embrace mistake with our warm heart, learn from the mistake, improve and become a better person

      I wish you all All The Best here! GO, GO, GO, NEVER GIVE UP!
      Embrace and welcome challenges with a great heart and open mind!

      Enjoy your marvellous day there!

      To Your Success,
      Grace Jen
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      • Profile picture of the author tanya7zhou
        There is a difference between failing and failure. Mistakes are feedbacks that something needs to be changed and implemented differently. I learnt a lot from Simon Preacher's Site about this topic.

        We should learn from these mistakes and quickly change before we end up repeating the same mistake like a fool.

        I totally agree with everyone here on this thread.

        Good day everyone

        Taz
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        It's not over until it is Over!

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      • Profile picture of the author tanya7zhou
        There is a difference between failing and failure. Mistakes are feedbacks that something needs to be changed and implemented differently. I learnt a lot from Simon Preacher's Site about this topic.

        We should learn from these mistakes and quickly change before we end up repeating the same mistake like a fool.

        I totally agree with everyone here on this thread.

        Good day everyone

        Taz
        Signature

        It's not over until it is Over!

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  • Profile picture of the author clonedrone
    I don't know if someone said this or not.

    But there are NO MISTAKES, there is only feedback.

    Seeing things as feedback gives you direction, where as mistakes just make you feel $hitty
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    "There are no mistakes, no coincidences. All events are blessings given to us to learn from."
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    "The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing."
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  • Profile picture of the author Wizardofwisdom
    Mistakes are in the mind of the beholder. You are not a mistake, and if you are true to what is in your heart, though your deeds may be judged or misjudged by others, the only person to whom it truly matters is you - and you are simply following your path.

    "I made a mistake once. I thought I was wrong about something. But I wasn't." -

    Trev.
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    Establish your online biz in weeks not months without selling, coercing, persuading or manipulating anyone into buying your services... Talk to me for FREE...
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  • Profile picture of the author jayden.fellze
    The real success in life is not when you have reached your goal, it is through the process of reaching it with that we are able to grow and be mature. We then become strong in facing various challenges in our life.
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.
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    • Profile picture of the author Sticky Articles
      Thomas Edison upon being asked about his many failures on inventing the lightbulb.

      "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    "A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it, is committing another mistake."
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    "There is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see that now. Time will reveal it. Be patient."
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    "Remember, there are no mistakes, only lessons. Love yourself, trust your choices, and everything is possible."
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
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  • Profile picture of the author nikmerchant
    Good one bro.. thanks...
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    There's no secret about success. Did you ever know a successful man who didn't tell you about it?
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  • Profile picture of the author scfc22
    For perfectionists it is hard to accept failure as part and parcel of everyday life. They strive to reach total perfection; something not achievable. Failing is the way we learn and improve, though it is not always easy to change a way of thinking ..
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    If you get defeated, if you fail in your first attempt, then a wise man
    will try to identify why it was a failure/defeat and he has to learn from that failure and start re doing the same in a better and in the right way, he needs to change the strategy... he needs to try other ways, he needs to revamp the entire road map, (whatever), and attempt again,, then he will not face defeat or failure.

    Continuous failure happens to a person, who donot do anything as above, and
    its a waste of time talking about those people.

    God has given all the intelligence and capability to everybody... the no of cells in the brain/mental capacity is equal in Mr. Abdul Kalam or or Porter in the Rly, Platform... It depends on how they use their intelligence..(God is always impartial)

    Most of the tragedy happens, as people leave everything to God, and they donot do anything..themselves..

    Its a shame on a person to get continuous failures...

    If you keep doing the same thing in the same way everyday, you get the same results... a quote says!

    hence it is up to us.

    Albert Einstein invented bulb after 1000 attempts.. and everytime he changed the ways and means..
    and finally he succeeded..

    He never lamented what will happen if i fail 500 times..

    he knew that he has to some how do t and he was persistent..

    Its purely the mindset..

    Donot expect failure and work...

    There is a very famous quote, which says ' there is no success or failures'
    there are only results..

    so keep learning from failures and start doing the other way..

    winning depends on the intelligence and hardwork of the people.

    so always see the positive things around..
    If the door is half closed, some worry more as the door is half closed..
    and some see what all they could do with the half of the door which is open..

    is some one the former or the latter.. then its upto them..
    your destiny is purely in your hands..
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  • Profile picture of the author trishia_16
    Mistakes are learned experience, it is very good to be able for us to grow and be mature.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cynthia Hernandez
      When you stop taken action, you fail.
      Learning from the mistakes you made
      make more successful. Getting right
      help you need.

      Thank you
      Cynthia Hernandez
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  • Profile picture of the author jblack
    Great story, although too familiar for most of us. If I had a penny for every time I failed.....Well you know the rest! Lesson is, Never Give Up!
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  • Profile picture of the author Pat Spence
    To Keithaul... you missed the rest of Edison's story. He didn't fail 10,000 times making a lightbulb.

    He learned 9,999 ways how NOT to make a lightbulb.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pisaka
    It makes no difference whether you make mistakes, the difference makes whether you can correct them.
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    PM if you are interested.

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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    Opportunity dances with those who are ready on the dance floor.
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  • Profile picture of the author Expression
    Niney-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
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