In the early 70s two psychologists became interested in the math gap between American children and Chinese and Japanese children. One day they were in Japan watching a class and a boy got up do an assignment of drawing 3 dimensional cubes on a blackboard. The boy kept at it for 45 minutes. It took so long that the psychologists started feeling uncomfortable for him. The boy kept making one mistake after another.
Yet, the boy was utterly unselfconscious. He just kept at it.
“In American culture there is a great cost for making mistakes” one observed. ” In Japan, mistakes, errors, and confusion and treated as just a natural part of the learning process”
The boy eventually solved the problem and the classroom erupted in cheers for him.
So many of us are so focused on avoiding making mistakes that they become paralyzed. We get so focused on how other people will criticize us or judge us that we become slow moving overly cautious lumps.
If you are looking to improve your life then maybe the first step is looking at how you feel about making mistakes. I believe you should make them early and make them often. It is the best way to learn.
WAIT….. Not done yet 🙂 For those of you who belittle others mistakes whether it is your friends, employees or even your children, realize the damage you are doing to your friends, business and family. Your criticism has more to do with you than it has to do with the mistakes. Make changes that allow you to be more supportive instead of someone just waiting to pounce on others.
