“Success tends not to go to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk averse. Rather, it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn’t making mistakes that’s critical; it’s correcting them and getting on with the principal tasks.” – Donald Rumsfeld, U.S Public Official and Business Executive
Anyone who has followed my writing, will know I started paying my dues in mistake-making from the age of ten, getting into all sorts of serious trouble that caused my parents embarrassment and pain. My Best Practice Parenting book titled “Kukuru Dangers” (sold in my store at www.lulu.com/sdaproducts) narrates full details of those years of truancy.
At a point, my trouble making got so frequent, that family friends/relatives began asking my siblings: “What Tayo had done again?”
Probably sounds funny now, but it was not, for me at least, back then.
You see, due to the fact that I was often getting into trouble around others who were not, I experienced quite early in life what it meant to be different.
However, because I was different in a negative sense (i.e. for doing wrong), I also learnt what if felt like to be an “out cast”.
Most of my peers who did not want to be viewed as wayward, like I was, generally stayed away from me…and spoke about me.
So in 1986, while serving my 2 week suspension for abusing my privileges as Health Prefect, in my final secondary (i.e. high) school year, I did some hard thinking and gained powerful insights that changed my life forever (my book titled “Kukuru Danger” tells the full story – click here to request a free PDF preview download).
I know it may be hard to believe, that so early in life I could achieve this level of clarity.
But that’s what happened.
Maybe it was because I had always been a bit introverted, and only got into trouble because I wanted to be like others I looked up to.
Anyway, after getting into trouble for trying to be that way, I adopted the following 3 guiding thoughts:
1. Always Be Your Original Self:
You will never succeed in being like others.
I think and feel different from other – even my family members. It’s no surprise therefore that most times when I try to share my “crazy” and “childish” perspectives with them, most simply get turned off.
It’s better to be myself, and be comfortable with not being popular with some people as a result. With time, those who deserve to, will discover how my uniqueness can help them, and appreciate me for it.
2. Intelligent Mistake-Making Is Good
When one makes mistakes, it can be painful. People get to see you at less than your best. Some will make fun of you and criticize you.
However, my period of lonely reflection helped me discover that the “many mistakes” I made so early in life had taught me more than I had learnt from being around those who judged me.
Later in life, my expertise at intelligent mistake making would consistently give me an edge over others in every endeavor I embarked upon.
3. Independent Thinking Is Imperative
I will never let anyone, no matter who s/he tell me what to think or do.
That decision will always be mine, even doing so makes me fall out of favor with others.
Why? Because if/when I get into trouble for my actions, I alone will have to answer for it – as has happened in the past.
So, what’s the answer I found to that question: “Do you need to be error-free?”
The answer I found for it, and which I adhere to is: No you don’t.
And never let anyone tell you otherwise!
It will not matter how old, experienced or wise they are. Do not ever let anyone tell you that making mistakes is wrong or bad.
In fact, the only way you can ever avoid making mistakes is if you stop trying to be better than you already are, or to do NEW or different things.
As an expert in your field, your audience (rightly) expects you to give them nothing less than the best of yourself at all times.
If you continue to do what you do, in the exact same way all the time, you do yourself more harm than good.
I recommend you make every single opportunity you have to practice your profession or vocation, to create a truly unique experience, in every sense possible, for those you serve – be they your client or employer..
Your continued relevance as an expert in your field of interest, and focus, is dependent on your willingness to constantly renew and reinvent yourself.
You cannot re-invent yourself, to stay relevant, if you do not have new experiences
That’s why you must be willing to do new things – even though a risk of making mistakes exists!
Otherwise, where would you get new insights from, with which excite those you serve with new ways of adding value to them?
When you avoid leaving your comfort zone, or shy away from taking risks by trying new experiences, you gain fewer – or even NO – new insights.
Why? That’s because you will make mistakes (or be wrong) less often.
When you’re NOT wrong, or NEVER wrong, you’re unlikely to feel a compelling need to check for new or better ways to do what you do. Being free from error is a state of perfection one can aspire to attain, but rarely actualize while one remains human.
Those who claims to be perpetually error free often hide away evidence of the mistakes they make.
But that does neither them, nor those around them any good in the long run!
Final Words: As any accomplished person in any field will tell you, mistakes/failures that befall us have a positive role to play in our growth and development.
Without them our progress towards achieving the full potential put in us by the creator would be greatly limited.
This is why, if you really want to achieve authentic success in life, and have not been doing it before now, you need to go out from today and start making mistakes intelligently.
It’s time to stop trying to be error-free: embrace your imperfections, and learn to use your failures are stepping stones to achieve on new and better levels in your life!
Get a FREE 20 page PDF preview of my new book (available digitally, and in paperback physical book form): “KUKURU DANGER™ – 5 True Stories About the Adventures – & Misadventures! – of a School Age Child Trying to Find Purpose in Life“
Click here, to request the FREE PDF preview of the new paperback book now.
You will be taken to a request form. Within seconds of filling and submitting it, the download link will be sent to the email address you supply.
I urge you to share it as far and wide as you possibly can!
If you are a parent, teacher or school owner interested in getting my help with regard to Best Practice Parenting, click here to contact me!
“There’s a world outside school that your child must be ready for, if she is to succeed.
Because you arrived in it, before her, YOU are an expert in it, compared to her. If you truly love your child therefore, you can – and should – share YOUR EXPERTISE about succeeding in the world, to help her learn how to EXCEL in it.
This book [Kukuru Danger™] uses narratives of true life childhood experiences of a brilliant but wayward child, who later reformed himself, as a basis for offering practical tips and insights you can use.” – Tayo K. Solagbade. Best Practice Parenting Advocate™ & Location Independent Multipreneur.