Keywords:: PermanentNote
Tags: growth mindset error makePublic
Reference: R: Principles by Ray Dalio
Whenever you're exploring new territories in your creative work you will be making mistakes because, by definition, you don't know what's awaiting you. In other words, errors are necessary for growth and innovation.
PN: Error is a key to creativity: The sheer quantity of ideas (good or bad) correlates with innovation. That means that mistakes are a natural part of the innovation process.
P: Errors are fundamental to learning: errors trigger neuroplasticity
However, in order to grow, you must treat mistakes as learning opportunities that can yield rapid improvements. When you experience failure, instead of getting into the flight-or-flight mode you should reflect instead. Pain + Reflection = Progress. This will help you change your perspective on failures—you'll start treating them as something pleasurable.
PN: The growth mindset: a part of the growth mindset is seeing failure as something positive because you can learn from it.
Furthermore, remember that innovative thinkers within your organization will be making mistakes and learn from them because it's a natural part of the innovation process. For every mistake you encounter and learn from you will save 1000 similar mistakes in the future.
That said, if you want to succeed, you must create a culture where it's ok to make mistakes but unacceptable not to identify, analyze, and learn from them.
As a side note, you can detect self-reflective people—they welcome feedback because they openly and objectively look at themselves.
Relevant notes:
4 P: Convert the ‘pain’ of seeing your mistakes and weaknesses into pleasure.: Dalio calls people who welcome feedback self-reflective people. Errors are a natural part of innovation—you should expect them—so there's nothing wrong with making mistakes. What's wrong, however, not identifying, analyzing, and learning from them.