The fact is that we all make mistakes. It is a part of life and no matter how hard we might try, we will never be able to avoid it. There is this negative connotation that we give to mistakes and that's why many people often automatically see it as failure or take it as a sign that we are unable to do something. But the truth is that making mistakes is essential for learning and making progress in our lives.
Making mistakes actually has many benefits, but only if we are willing to acknowledge them and learn from them. Learning from mistakes allows us to gain new perspectives and develop new skills. It also gives us valuable feedback which might bring us closer to reaching our goals. Making mistakes also allows us to grow, learn a lot about ourselves and our lives and what we want or don't want in the future.
Mistakes can even free us from certain fears and make us take more risks. Let us think of a scenario when we really want something and are trying our best to make everything work. Of course the last thing we want is to “fail” and the fear of making a mistake is increasing. Then something goes “wrong” and exactly what we were so afraid of ends up happening. Surely at the beginning this seems devastating, but after the initial disappointment we realize that it is not as bad as we thought it would be and the world is still spinning. “Failure” can therefore make us more fearless, as it shows us that it is nothing catastrophic.
I used to be very afraid of “failure” in all areas of my life and this would prevent me from trying out so many things, as I was always imagining the worst possible scenarios. Until one day one of those scenarios came true and it was (for me at that time) definitely the worst possible thing that could happen to me. However, after some time passed I realized that not only was I still alive, but I was also so much stronger, wiser and happier than I was before this event. Ever since then, before making any decision I always ask myself “What is the worst thing that could happen?”. Then I answer this question and each time see that it is not that bad and that normally the benefits outweigh the risks.
I believe that up to some extent we all want to avoid “mistakes” and are trying our best to succeed. But avoiding mistakes can become a real problem if it gets to the point where we don't put our ideas into action, solely because we don't want to make mistakes. Maybe we have some really great ideas and plans, but don't share them with others, because we are afraid of “failure”. Here is where the expression “There is no failure, only feedback” becomes very useful. It all depends on our perception of certain things and if we look at mistakes as a learning tool rather than as failure, we have nothing to worry about, because we know that it will only bring us closer to reaching our goals.
One of the many realizations that players can come to while playing the Leela Game is the importance of making mistakes. Especially the ones that are a bit perfectionist and postpone their ideas and dreams due to the fear of not succeeding are normally presented with this square. It shows them how to stop being a perfectionist and how important it is to simply set ideas into motion. Perfectionism and idealization can often limit and stop us from reaching what we truly desire.
We are all here on this planet to grow and learn and there is no better way to learn than from our mistakes. Of course none of us want to deliberately make mistakes, but it is important to allow ourselves to make them and be gentle and compassionate towards ourselves when we do. Everyone makes mistakes, that's why trying to avoid them is pointless and can do us more harm than good, especially if we notice that it is preventing us from reaching our potential. So, the next time the fear of failure wants to prevent you from doing something, just think of a famous quote: “I never lose. I either win or learn.”
Are you willing to make mistakes, but the perfectionist inside of you is still not fully letting you? Playing Leela Game might be beneficial for you. You can find more information here.
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