The next time someone scolds you for making a mistake when trying to learn something new, remember this: very few things get perfected without leaving a trail of many, many slip-ups and miscalculations. To shy away from making mistakes, will never help you lose your fear of new experiences. Nothing holds us back more than to think that making mistakes is a bad thing. Here are five things I’ve read about making mistakes, that can change minds about their value. One: mistakes remind us that we are not perfect. This is good, because once you think you’re perfect, you stop trying to improve. Two: mistakes are a product of one’s free will. How will you know your limitations until you push against the strong wind of criticism. Three: mistakes can remind us of how fortunate we are. They will help us see how blessed we are with what we already have, instead of being upset over what we can’t get. Four: mistakes can be very motivating. There is a certain urge to try again each time we fail to hit the mark the first time. It’s almost like a dare that we can’t make it, and it builds up our desire to prove our critics wrong. And five: mistakes show that little is gained without taking certain risks. We all need improvement in areas of our lives where we are not happy with our past performances. It keeps the cycle of mistakes, learning, trying and improving going. So instead of continually saying: “I can’t make it,” start saying: “I haven’t made it yet, but I will.” – Dr Robert R Seyda