Fail more

[cjsmith]

Michael Jordan's comments on failure and success: "I've missed more than nine thousand shots in my career...."

wintersweet notes that this concept applies to learning languages. I think that in fact, this is the biggest single thing that makes me "good at" learning languages. I do have a hefty natural aptitude, but that doesn't mean squat if I won't open my mouth and TRY. I fail, I make goofs, I say stupid things, and I keep trying -- and I learn. Over the years, I've found speakers of other languages are overwhelmingly likely to be pleased that I'm trying and to forgive my missteps until I learn more. This has given me a richness of experience that is truly a blessing.

Now if only I'd be willing to go fail at more things.

In what endeavors are you willing to fail?

In what endeavors would you be more successful if you were more willing to fail?

Comments

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

This has ringed true for me for the last few years. Until about 5 - 6 years ago, I lived life very much as an Observer. I wanted to learn a lot about the world around me, but I never found myself participating much. For the last few years, though, I've been much more involved in having a life. It's summed up by a slogan I picked up from (unfortunately, in a sense) an ex (but it wasn't coined by her:

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Training for and going on the century bike ride in 2002. Diving into polyamory (which has given plenty of failure opportunities ;-)). Taking the layoff from a fairly comfortable but no longer satisfying job. Starting a photography business (and, case in point, IMHO, failing at it in several ways). And the biggie that gives me something almost every day of which to be scared: Going back to school for a PhD in a field in which I have no previous formal education.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

has ringed

I also seem to fail at conjugating verbs when I'm tired. ;-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Ring, rang, rung; sing, sang, sung; ding, dinged, dinged. English makes no sense. :-)