10 Lessons Your Mistakes Teach You

The other day one of our regional bosses at my day job spent some time with our marketing team.  "How are we doing?"  I asked.  Her answer wasn't a surprise -- it was a confirmation that our fledgling team was on the right track.  We're getting ready to celebrate one year together in a new market for our company.  I promised my boss I would stay under the social media radar with regards to my day job because our company does not like attention unless it comes from the people we serve.  After the meeting was over, I told my boss, "I've made a lot a mistakes here."

Our general manager replied, "Me too.  Mistakes are how you learn to do your job better.  If you're not making mistakes, you're not finding ways to be your best."

My attitude about mistakes has changed over the years.  I used to be afraid of them.  Now, I welcome them.  Here are ten lessons mistakes teach you:

1. You are not perfect.  The sooner you learn that errors are a part of your world, the sooner you will stop trying to be perfect.  The world does not expect you to be perfect.  Why should you?
2. If you require the people around you to be perfect,  they will stop trying new ideas.
3. Mistakes identify areas where there is room for personal growth in yourself and in the people around you.
4. People soon forget your mistakes, however, they long remember your superior achievements.
5. Mistakes are not the final product of your efforts, only the necessary ingredients to accomplish your desired outcome.
6. Mistakes teach you to laugh.  The best comedians are the ones who can laugh at themselves and the mistakes they make.  Without mistakes, they would have no material.
7. Mistakes are road signs that point you to future promotions.
8. Mistakes are the dress rehearsals that prepare you for the times when the best version of you is called upon for the performance of your life.
9. Mistakes are part of Spring training.  No matter how far you advance, Spring training is an annual requirement to help you be your best on the field of life.
10. Mistakes remind you that you are the creature, not the Creator.  Your Creator designed you to make mistakes so you could test all the wrong paths, eventually finding the right path that leads you back to Him.

What is the greatest mistake you ever made that helped you become the person you are today?  Please add your thoughts below.