I’ve been asking myself this question a lot lately. While experiences of the past may not have gone the way I expected or intended, they are just that, experiences. And it’s up to the individual to take from that experience what they choose to take from it. I choose to see them as learning experiences and not mistakes.
Lately, I’ve taken some serious time to reflect on my past, my present and the vision I have for my future self. While I cannot say that I can explain why I made certain decisions, one thing I can say for sure is that I accept full responsibility for ALL of my past decisions along with the consequences, the good, the bad and the ugly.
Most importantly, I now have a really good understanding that every single decision I make today or do not make will either bring me closer to my vision or away from the vision that I have for myself.
Some people may refer to these experiences as mistakes and even if we chalk it up to being a mistake, are mistakes really that bad? Don’t mistakes teach you what doesn’t work? I would argue that learning what does not work is just as valuable as learning what actually works. But you’ll never learn what works if you’re too busy being scared to make a mistake that you just might learn from.
I mean think about the story of an entrepreneur, have we ever heard the story of the faultless entrepreneur? The entrepreneur that got it right on the first try? I’m guessing your answer is no, that’s because it’s non-existent. By definition an entrepreneur is “a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.”
When we talk about risk, well…there’s uncertainty there. You may win, you may lose, but one thing I am certain of is if you’re too afraid to make a move in life because there’s a possibility that you might not make it, well, you’ve accepted a losing hand already my friend and the biggest risk of all is the life that will pass you by.
The reality is some people are blind to the wonders of the world but that’s not your problem. Others will claim to have sight, but will lack a clear vision; again, not your problem. Some of your close friends, perhaps even your family will be hung up on your past mistakes, eager to remind you in order to ‘help’ steer you in the risk-free direction.
What is life for? I mean, what is life really all about? Is it about living? Is it about dying? Is it about playing it safe? I don’t know what your answer is, but one thing I know is that for me, life for me is about living! It’s about living purposefully and intentionally and making some miscalculated judgments along the way.
If you choose ‘dying’ or ‘playing it safe’, really take the time to reflect and imagine yourself at 99 years old. What are you thinking about? Are you thinking back to actually pursuing that career in another country like you wanted to back then but were too afraid to be in a foreign land? Are you wishing that you had just taken the time out to write that book that you were putting off because you were too afraid that no one would read it? Are you simply just wishing that you took a chance on yourself and pursued that acting career that your parents discouraged you from?
Whatever it is that’s on your mind, I bet you wish that you could turn back the hands of time, shake yourself and push yourself toward the path that looks a little risky, the one that’s a little scary, the one that looks a little uncertain to your family and friends, the one that could very well be a mistake. On the other hand, it could be the path that turns your curiosity into your purposeful passion, the one that gives you the audacity to contribute to this world in a positive way, the one that unlocks the keys to the best experiences of a lifetime.
If I were you, I would choose the latter.
How do you answer this question?