Mistakes have a way of focusing our attention and putting crucial problems right in our face. Mistakes light a path for us. When we own up to our mistakes, we often know exactly what is not working and what we can do to fix it.

There is one sure way to avoid mistakes and that is to avoid life. The writer who never finishes a book will never have to worry about getting negative reviews. The comedian who never performs in front of an audience is sure to avoid telling jokes that fall flat. When we are comfortable with making mistakes, we are more likely to take risks and tackle projects. Celebrating mistakes involves wisdom. Effective people do not set goals with the idea of making mistakes. Instead, they aim to reach those goals while accepting the risk of error.

Imagine working at a company that has no standards___where mistakes are not distinguished from success and no one is held accountable for errors. We could turn in the most careless and crudest piece of work we had ever done, and they would get treated the same as our best work. We would never be able to count on having the supplies we needed because no one would complain when vendors failed to deliver. Projects could go permanently unfinished and no one would say anything. In an atmosphere where there is no difference between failure and success, the word “mistake” would be without meaning. Mistakes can happen only when people are truly committed to making things work.

The word “mistake” derives meaning only by comparison to what we desire. Noticing and admitting our mistakes reminds us of what we really want to have, do, and be. Mistakes offer us an opportunity to practice truth telling. With this act come the rewards of honesty and frankness, including self-knowledge and the capacity for change. As we tell the truth about our mistakes, we can benefit by releasing shame and blame. Fixing mistakes and preventing them from happening again are key goals.

Mistakes are usually more instructive than success___and often far more interesting. The lessons we learn from making mistakes often stick with us for a lifetime. We can translate those lessons into new values and behaviours that make a profound difference. With all these potential benefits from mistakes, we have plenty of reasons to celebrate them.

We often know through mistakes what is going wrong and _________.

If a writer never finishes his book, he will never have to __________.

Effective people aim to reach their goals while_________________.

People can make mistakes only when they are truly ______________.

We can learn some lessons from making mistakes, which often ___________.