Focus on learning...

We all make mistakes; it’s what we do about them that counts.

 

·      Make a mistake:

·      Take time to learn from it.

·      Failure to learn may cause a repeat,

·      And that can be worse than the mistake itself.

·      Be smart enough to learn from the mistakes you make.

 

I’ve certainly made my share of mistakes, both big and small. Painful as each was, I learned that each was a portal of discovery. An example that sticks out in my mind was when I designed the recruitment center for Wynn Las Vegas – I thought it was very good. But when my boss inspected it, he took one look and said the first impression it made was not inspiring enough. How, he asked, had I failed to learn the importance of first impressions? As soon as I saw his disappointment, I knew what was wrong. And as bad as that admonishment was, the fact that I had seemingly failed to learn from all our past work (in designing recruitment centers) was worse. When things like this happen, we must examine not just the mistake, but also what led to it. In my experience, we sometimes overlook the objective while listening to and trying to satisfy too many others. When you know something is right, have the courage to say so. And when know something is wrong, don’t stand on foolish pride and allow it to happen. Use every opportunity to learn from your mistakes today.

 

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (1882 – 1941): Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, and literary critic.