“For a just man falleth seven times, and
riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”-- Proverbs 24:16 (KJV)
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King
Solomon, the main author of the book of Proverbs, may have had several towering
figures in mind when he wrote the verse above. Many great prophets and kings made
errors before meeting their destiny:
- His own father, King David (Bathsheba was Solomon’s mother.)
- Paul
- Elijah
- Moses
- Peter
Modern Setbacks
“Mistakes
are how we learn.” This is an observation several wise people have made to
me. The saying makes sense. Certain activities are always a process. We can’t
accomplish them in one try. Here are a few examples:
- Learning to walk
- Mastering an instrument
- Graduating from school
- Grasping a craft
- Becoming a skilled writer
Those of us
with a perfectionist tendency can be traumatized by our mistakes. Such an
attitude may even cause us to avoid new places, people, and situations. We might miss
out on taking our talents and social skills to the next level.
Mindset: the new
Psychology of Success, by Carol. S. Dweck, Ph.D.
This
excellent book explores two attitudes towards failure. Some individuals believe
every blunder is a catastrophe. Other people see every setback as a challenge
to begin again. Here is a summary of the personalities:
Fixed Mindset
“I have to be
able do this correctly now, or it’s not worth doing. I will never improve. I
only have this one chance. If I fail now,
I have to give up.”
Motto: “If at
first you don’t succeed, give up and judge yourself harshly.”
Growth Mindset
“If my
ability isn’t currently perfect, I haven’t
failed. I can keep trying. I get
as many “do-overs” as necessary. I may have a long path ahead of me, but I’m
willing to do the work to be successful.”
Motto: “If at
first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
Winners always have an attitude of growth. They win because
they refuse to give up. Period. If
one way doesn’t work, they immediately look for an alternate route. Let’s look
at two examples:
Velcro®
George de Mestral invented Velcro° in the 1940s. The
entrepreneur immediately tried to market the fastener to the fashion-design
industry. His product would have made getting dressed much simpler, but that business
was (and is) all about appearance. Mestral’s creation didn’t look good at that
time, although he later revised it. The material was plain and bulky. Those
were both deal breakers.
In due time, the National Air and Space Administration (NASA)
did show an interest in the new invention.
It was worthwhile for space suits and for securing all manner of objects in
space vehicles.
Of course, Velcro® is widely used today. For instance, we see
it in many children’s shoes, as pictured above.
Super Glue®
This well-known adhesive was first discovered by accident in
the 1940s. Dr. Harry Coover’s original
objective was to formulate protective coatings for military purposes. That goal
wasn’t reached.
The formula that became Super Glue® brought about a different
destiny. It unexpectedly, and immediately, bonded two prisms together. They
couldn’t be pried apart. The scientist recognized the usefulness of his
discovery. Millions of consumers still use the product today.
My Conclusion
“A person who falls and gets back up is much stronger than a person who
never fell.”—Psychology Living (@LIvPsy)
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“Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re
finished. The person you are right now is as transient, as fleeting, and as
temporary as all the people you’ve ever been.”—psychologist Dan Gilbert
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