Often, we only witness the triumphs of the world’s wealthiest and most famous celebrities. What we fail to immediately recognize is the years of practice, preparation, and the diligent process of learning from mistakes that contributed to their ultimate success. Most entrepreneurs do not begin with a flawless idea; rather, what they create is often the culmination of a series of failures. According to Peter Sims, a reporter for the NY Times, entrepreneurs perceive learning in the same way most people perceive failure.
INVENTION and discovery emanate from the ability to try seemingly wild possibilities; to feel comfortable being wrong before being right; to live in the world as a careful observer, open to different experiences; to play with ideas without prematurely judging oneself or others; to persist through difficulties; and to have a willingness to be misunderstood, sometimes for long periods, despite the conventional wisdom.
-Peter Sims
A study conducted by Jason Moser, an expert in error-processing in the brain and a psychology professor, revealed that having a positive attitude towards making mistakes enhances the speed at which we learn and correct our errors. Furthermore, it improves our accuracy when we are tested on the same material we initially struggled with.
Conversely, if we possess a negative attitude towards making mistakes, it not only takes us longer to rectify errors but also leads to a greater likelihood of making additional mistakes. Interestingly, the learning centers in our brains are activated twice when we make a mistake—first when the mistake occurs and again when we reflect upon it. This deep learning process, known as productive failure, occurs regardless of whether we initially answered a task correctly.
Many students tend to shy away from challenging schoolwork and become discouraged by their mistakes. Unfortunately, these students face a disadvantage both in academia and the workforce because they avoid the most demanding tasks, which often provide the greatest opportunities for learning and expanding their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Embracing failures, shifting our mindset, and embracing mistakes as opportunities for growth ultimately leads to success. After all, mistakes have the power to foster the growth of our brains.
Consider the Following:
We are raising a generation of children (…) who are terrified of blundering, of failing, of even sitting with the discomfort of not knowing something for a few minutes.
– Alina Tugend
- How does this quote make you reflect on your comfort level when it comes to learning?
- When you hear the word “failure,” what is the first thought or image that comes to your mind?
- Think about a time when you experienced failure. Can you describe one positive thing that you gained or learned from this experience?