~ Mistakes ~

"Mistakes are the portals of discovery"

James Joyce (1882 - 1941)

Yesterday while teaching piano to one of my very awesome students, we got on the subject of making mistakes.  He being one of my "perfectionist's" and trying so hard to please me - his teacher - discovered something about making mistakes. 

As we practiced through his piece a couple of times, mistakes were inevitably made so we concentrated on just that one measure or even sometimes just a couple of transitional notes, specific fingering and hand placement.  After focusing on only the mistake made - and NOT the entire song at hand - practicing it over and over again UNTIL he didn't make any more mistakes . . . he - in his wise little mind realized the key to making mistakes.  That by practicing and focusing just on his mistakes made - he discovered that he at last didn't make the same mistake again.  He was able to progress, fix it and move on with a little boost of achievement. I told him that if we didn't make mistakes not just in piano - but in life - how are we to improve and learn how "not to do it again" and then succeed in whatever endeavour we are taking?

This moment with him reminded me of someone very famous, who invented something so revolutionary at the time and something we still use today - every second.  This is his quote when asked how it felt to have failed and made over 10,000 mistakes:

I have not failed,
I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.  

- Thomas Edison - the invention of the light bulb.

Thomas Edison didn't see his mistakes as failures, but just one more step closer to success as he learned from them, and how not to do it again.  Another comment he mentioned is:

"Many of life's failures
are people who did not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up".

So, today - embrace your mistakes as difficult as they may seem to swallow.  And believe that they are a good thing in life . . . a human thing . . . a "portal of discovery" . . . and one step closer to success in whatever area of life you are in.  Don't give up until the miracle is achieved!! 

Mistakes are like layers in a flower. Each layer opens for you to learn from until you have completely blossomed.  And if someone gives you a hard time when you make a mistake - remind them you are blossoming - one layer at a time!

p.s...Here's a little "light" on the subject!  : )