How often do you goof up? It happens, right?  What’s your reaction to it?

We all make mistakes. Some of us make them more often than others. But there’s a difference between being disaster-prone or error-ridden and simply stretching yourself.

Some people might think that the goal is to never make mistakes. But what if the opposite is actually true?

It’s easy to have the wrong impression about other people and think that folks who are really good at something were just born with talent or have some special twist to their DNA that makes them masters.

But the fact is, anyone who is halfway decent at almost anything you can name tried, tried, and tried again before getting it right. Making mistakes until you gain some semblance of mastery is the name of the game.

So, if you really think about it, the only way to be certain to never make a mistake is to never attempt anything new. To stay stuck. To be happy going nowhere. Does that sound like a fun way to live? Not really.

Lifelong learners know the secret. There is always another hill to climb. There’s always another technique to master. There will always be more things to wrap your head around. The road to mastery is paved with mishaps.

Personally, I’m up to my ears in mistakes these days. My rate of mistakes-per-minute has probably never been higher. Why? Well, I’m finally doing my best to tackle the French language!

It’s going to be quite a while before I can sit around a sidewalk café in Toulouse and discuss culture and philosophy with the locals. In the meantime, I’ll do my best to stumble less and at the very least try to hold up my end of the conversation.

So, if you haven’t made any mistakes lately, ask yourself when was the last time you tried to learn anything new. It’s a good way to recognize whether or not you’re truly alive!

Much love till next Monday!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine