Are Mistakes Really a Mistake?

John Maxwell's "The Daily Reader" is a constant source of guidance and growth for me as I am ever  developing others and myself as lifetime learning leaders. Maxwell's inspirational guide is packed with daily practices that should become part of who you are if your aspirations are to be a leader. (Don't forget, everyone is a leader. The only differentiating factor is some people are leading up, others are leading down, and some are leaders of complacency and therefore not leading anywhere, they are stuck in the mud of mediocrity.) In today's Flat Tire Thought, I'd like for us to dissect the true essence of making mistakes and how we should view mistakes in our life's journey. 

To some of us out there, if I were to ask an audience if any one of them had never made a mistake and one person raised their hand you would be so impressed. For the majority of us, we would be skeptical, and for a few of us we would call it what it is "not possible". There has only been one person who has walked this earth who was faultless to the level of perfection, and beyond that we are all a bunch of mistake prone individuals. But, guess what? That's okay, my question today is "Are mistakes really a mistake?"

Here's what the Apostle Paul shared with the followers in the Church at Philippi, "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-16). The "this" that Paul is referencing in verse 12 is nothing less than the perfection of Christ. Yet, it is noteworthy to point out that Paul says he knows he hasn't reached perfection, and most certainly never will, but he continues to "press on". In other words, Paul is ensuring us that it is okay to mess up, mistakes are a normal part of life. Not that we want to go out and live a destructive lifestyle, but more that we understand that we are not perfect, and when we fail or make a mistake the positive or the negative outcome associated with our mistake is to be determined by what happens next. 

Some folks choose to wallow in their mistakes and vow to never mess up again, but the methodology they choose to utilize is to stay right where they are and never go out on a limb again. Others make mistakes and choose to never take ownership of their mistakes. My daughter, who is a little more like me than she may want to own up to, shared this one with me the other day from decorated military veteran and author Steve Maraboli, "Those with a perpetual victim mindset tend to create the situations from which they suffer." Own up and be accountable, mistakes and even failures are going to happen, it is okay to admit you messed up. Then there are others that have the ability to do great things, but they are so easily frozen by the fear of failure that they do not take any chances so they won't ever be in danger of making a mistake. I personally cannot relate to this mentality. I often use the analogy of a baby learning to walk. If the baby, in fear, does not stand up and take that first step and eventually fall on their derriere, then that child will be crawling around on the floor throughout life. I don't want to crawl, I want to walk, run, and eventually fly! (Isaiah 40:31). 

I guess you can figure out the last group of individuals and how they face mistakes. I belong in this group, not because of anything I've done outside of never quitting or never giving up, but because of the perseverance I have developed through adversity throughout my life. It is my belief that the grit and resilience to overcome mistakes and even monumental failures in life is in each of us. How we address, deal with, and eventually move forward or backward will shape us as either an overcomer or an underachiever. The day that I read this devotional in the Maxwell daily encourager, I made a note in my phone of what I believe would serve as my philosophy in life as it pertains to mistakes and failures. "I would prefer to have a life full of the mistakes I've made rather than make the mistake of not living life to the fullest and learning from the mistakes made in those experiences." I do not promote recklessness and I would by far rather have things go just as planned, but at the end of the day, the flat tires in my life and the shattered panes of glass I have looked through have been the driving force to the man I am today. Through God's unending mercy and grace, I have not only survived, I have thrived due to His guiding hand and His loving embrace. So I ask you today, "Are mistakes really a mistake?"

Coach Carter