Embracing Mistakes: Growth Through Curiosity and Faith

Ben Zander, a renowned orchestra conductor, encourages a young cellist to respond to mistakes with the phrase, "How fascinating!" This approach transforms errors from moments of shame into opportunities for learning and growth. This idea is deeply rooted in the teachings of Paul, who wrote to the Romans that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. [00:01:38]

Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." He doesn't say there's been a condemnation reduction. It doesn't say it's condemnation light. It doesn't even say there are traces. There is no condemnation. God is not a God who wants to condemn. [00:01:38]

A very helpful dynamic to think about in this regard is a willingness to make mistakes. When I make a mistake today, instead of shrinking and shriveling and spiraling down, I will say, "How fascinating," because it gives me a chance to learn. And if I learn, then I can grow. [00:02:45]

If you're not making mistakes, you're probably not learning, and you're probably not growing. I've recently started doing some volunteer tutoring, and when I was getting training for this, it's through an organization called Children Rising. In the training, they say when you get children in the learning zone, in the growth zone, they ought to be making a mistake about five to ten percent of the time. [00:03:06]

A growth mindset versus a fixed mindset is crucial in this journey. A fixed mindset believes that abilities are static, leading to fear of failure and avoidance of challenges. In contrast, a growth mindset embraces challenges and sees mistakes as a path to improvement. This mindset shift is not just about skills but also about understanding our worth. [00:04:06]

A fixed mindset involves the belief that your gifts and abilities and talents are fixed at birth, and so they can't really change. You can't really get any better. Therefore, when you are tested, when you perform, you are simply revealing how gifted or talented you are, and therefore your worth, your caliber as a human being, is on the line. [00:04:50]

The other mindset is a growth mindset, and with the growth mindset, I focus on what do I learn. A growth mindset is the idea that as I go through my day, I can get better, I can gain new skills, I can learn. What I want to focus on is not whether or not I make mistakes. [00:05:28]

If I believe that my abilities are fixed, then what I have to do is develop my worth, prove my worth. But if I believe that my worth is fixed, then my worth has already been established, that it's my worth that does not change. Then I am free to actually try to develop my gifts and abilities. [00:06:35]

Eugene Peterson faced 23 rejections before his book was published. His perseverance exemplifies the power of a growth mindset. Despite multiple rejections, his work eventually inspired many, showing that persistence in the face of failure can lead to success. [00:08:12]

Mistakes are not the end; they are not fatal; they are not final. They are opportunities to go. It's very interesting when you think about the disciples and you think who ended up leading the church initially after Jesus left. That was Peter. Which disciple made the most mistakes? It was Peter. [00:09:12]

Peter rebukes Jesus for saying he was going to suffer. Peter's the one that got out and tried to walk on the water and sank. Peter's the guy that sliced the ear off of a soldier trying to defend Jesus. Peter's the guy that denied Jesus, and he's the guy that led. Somebody who makes mistakes, how fascinating, is somebody who can learn. [00:09:12]

Today, in your work, as you try to learn in your relationships with other people, in your spiritual life as you pray, as you write emails to people, when you make a mistake—and you will, and you will—instead of shriveling, instead of self-condemnation, instead of "I guess I look really foolish today," your word is "how fascinating." [00:09:44]