My original major in college was mathematics. The intention was that I would be a high school Algebra teacher. This plan was going along fine until I hit a class called Discreet Math. If you didn’t study math intensively, the idea behind Discreet Math is to take any mathematical belief that we have and check to make sure that it works in all cases. Sexy right? I was doing horribly in Discreet Math by the time of the final. On the day of the final, our professor gave us a print out of our grades thus far. Despite my poor performance in this class, my basic math skills were still pretty good. I figured out that I needed to get a 101% on the final exam in order to pass the class. So I walked out of the final. In the end, the professor curved the final grades and I was only person who failed the class. Not my proudest moment but also a necessary part of the evolution of the version of me that exists today.
We all make them at one point or another: mistakes, mess ups, goofs, f%$# ups, etc. No matter what you call them, they are a mismatch between intention and result. While school and game shows may have taught us that mistakes should be avoided at all costs, we are all a product of more mistakes than can be counted. Even you, no matter who you are, represent a plethora of mistakes but still you persist. In fact, you probably even like the outcome of many of the errors that have formed who you are. Whether your parents intended to make you feel loved, so they showered you with praise. That in turn made you feel like a loser when the world didn’t see how great you are. No matter if the mistakes were yours or the repercussions just landed upon you, mistakes are the strings that weave us together into people. Almost nothing ever goes exactly to plan.
Since perfection is most likely off the table, maybe it’s time to go for that thing that you’ve been putting off. That project or adventure that you’ve had inside of your head for a long time. It’s never been the perfect time to start. Well maybe that’s exactly when you need to start because no matter what, it will never be perfect. Mistakes are going to line your path the entire way, so let it go. Or better yet, let yourself go and recognize that the pillow of perfection is not where you’re going to land. Even if you do end up in heap, you can pick yourself back up and go again. It. was just a mistake!
Go make some!
Pete
Huryk Unlimited 