Lets face it mistakes and failure are part of the growth process of an athlete and a coach. Failure and mistakes are only bad if we do not learn from them. There is an aphorism that says: failure sucks but it instructs. That is true if you take the opportunity and let it instruct and learn from the mistakes, don’t repeat them. Some people revel in mistakes and failure. They turn them into a pity party. They feel sorry for themselves and try to get others to feel sorry for them. That is not what it is about. Failure and mistakes are tremendous learning opportunities.
A mistake is a starting point to begin the process of getting better, of progressing forward, of renewal. People who are great at what they do will take risk consequently they will fail and make mistakes. But because they have a growth mindset they view the mistakes as opportunities for growth and the failures as stepping-stones, it is all part of the growth process and progressing toward a goal. People who are average most likely will never make mistakes, they stay in a comfort zone, they keep doing what they always have done, never taking a chance. If you want to be the best you can be must make mistakes, you must fail, you must try new techniques and training methods. Management guru Tom Peters put it best – fail forward! It is ultimately a failure or a mistake if you do not learn from it.