How do you react or act when there are mistakes… Are you hard on yourself and others?
The following expert of a text that I found a long time ago really puts things into perspective. I have to admit that I strive to be like this woman but I am not there 100% of the time.
A lesson from a 2 year old who grew up to be a scientist:
He had been trying to take a bottle of milk out of the refrigerator when he lost his grip and spilled the entire contents on the kitchen floor. His mother, instead of scolding him, said, ‘’What a wonderful mess you’ve made! I’ve rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage is already done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk before we clean it up?’’
Indeed, he did. And, after a few minutes, his mother continued, ‘’You know, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up, So, how would you like to do that? We could use a towel, sponge, or a mop. Which do you prefer?
After they were finished cleaning up the milk, she said, ‘’What we have here is a failed experiment in how to carry a big bottle of milk with two tiny hands. Let’s go our in the backyard, fill the bottle with water, and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping it’’
It was at that moment that he knew he didn’t have to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes are just opportunities for learning something new.