Learning from Mistakes (Guaranteed Success)

Success can be defined as many different things. If we pay attention to the outcome of an event (score, salary, return on investment, surplus, etc.), we can define success compared to others and whether or not we “won.” It is not likely that we will always find ourselves in this category, however; and there can be really upsetting times when we “lost” rather than won. Success, when restricted by this definition, can be a challenging, difficult, and overwhelming beast.
Success can also be defined using two simple terms: improvement and effort. When our focus is on these two terms, we are more likely to compare ourselves to ourselves. If I can go into any practice, situation, or venture with the attitude that my goal is to improve and put forth as much effort as possible – I myself am virtually guaranteed success.
Focusing energy towards effort and improvement will take a lot of the pressure away from the outcome definition of success. Decreased pressure will often times result in better performance. It is also much more likely to result in the successful outcome when focus is on the performance itself rather than the result.
It is for this reason that learning from our mistakes can be one of the most powerful improvements and encouraging outcomes possible. Mistakes may not lead to failure (depending on how we are defining it) and can help us improve ourselves and dedicate effort to avoid the same mistakes in the future. When we are capable of learning in this way from our shortcomings, we will succeed time and time again.