We have all made mistakes. Mistakes are part of learning and indeed are often necessary for our survival.

When you were very young you learnt to walk. In doing so you fell many times. You were very unsteady on your feet as you toddled from one piece of furniture to the next. Falling was necessary in order for you to learn, to find your balance. As you repeatedly found what doesn't work, eventually you learn what does.

One of the greatest inventors the world has known was the American, Thomas Edison. He invented amongst other things the electric light bulb. Do you know he made 1,000's of mistakes. He tried material after material to use as a filament to burn in his light bulb. Eventually he found the right one. when asked abount his mistakes he said that as far as he was concerned they weren't mistakes, it's just he found out each time what did not work.

Often we have to find out what does not work before finding out what does. This is called experience and there is no substitute for it. When we first touch something hot we have make a mistake, the pain teaches us not to repeat it, this is essential to our survival.

Mistakes teach us, and we are a lot wiser when we learn from them. Many of the most successful people of all time were also those who made the most mistakes!
Abraham Lincoln was perhaps one of the greatest presidents of the USA yet here is his record:
Lost job, 1832
Defeated for legislature, 1832
Failed in business, 1833
Elected to legislature, 1834
Sweetheart (Ann Rutledge) died, 1835
Had nervous breakdown, 1836
Defeated for Speaker, 1838
Defeated for nomination for Congress, 1843
Elected to Congress, 1846
Lost renomination, 1848
Rejected for Land Officer, 1849
Defeated for Senate, 1854
Defeated for nomination for Vice-President, 1856
Again defeated for Senate, 1858
Elected President, 1860

So you see mistakes or failures often preceed greater accomplishments. We musn't let our mistakes drag us down, but propel us onwards.

Finally I'll end on a quote by George Bernard Shaw who said,

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable,
but more useful than a life spent doing nothing."

Learn more about this author, Robert Cole.
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