The Importance of Making Mistakes

We all make mistakes; it is part of being human. However, all too often, we consider mistakes to be a sign of weakness, lack of ability or failure. We try to cover them up and ignore them, or avoid anything unknown where a mistake could be made. This fear of making mistakes is not genetic, we are not born with it. If we were, we would never learn to speak, walk or talk. Babies and young children make hundreds of mistakes every day and as adults, we celebrate each and every one. So why then, as we get older, do we start to look at mistakes as failure?