THE SUCCESS MINDSET OF MAKING MISTAKES

I learned from Mike Bloomberg,

 “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.”

I carry that insight with me every day. Thanks to Mike for giving me a gift I strive to repay every day.

Now, when teaching executives and college students, I work with many who bring their perfectionist tendencies when preparing for a presentation. They spend half the time practicing for the event, and the other half worrying about it. Obsessed with trying to be flawless, that approach diminishes their capacity to improve.

On our first day of class at Columbia, I often begin with slides articulating three career climbing guidelines.

1.     Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Be afraid of not learning from them.        

2.     Strive for progress. Not perfection.        

3.     There is no failure, only feedback.        

Since these can apply to school, career, and life, I remind my students of these principles to reinforce our humanity. They are not robots but people who often struggle to climb up and down their career mountains. Learning to forgive yourself is not easy. However, it is necessary if you expect to inspire, persuade, and provoke change in your stakeholders.   

This self-improvement tactic came to life with Joe Connolly on his 77WABC business-themed radio show. We discussed several tools necessary to become a compelling public speaker. Click the link and try practicing this technique.

Many thanks to Joe, James Incorvaia, and the outstanding producers for creating this clip and reminding us to be comfortable in the discomfort of making mistakes.

You can watch the full episode on YouTube: