Accepting some mistakes

by Paulo Coelho on May 14, 2011


 
 
The German philosopher F. Nietzsche once said:
“it is no use living arguing about everything; it is part of human nature to make a mistake now and again.”

And the writer James Joyce shares the same opinion
“A man’s errors are his portals of discovery.”

Yet we all know people who absolutely insist that they are right even down to the smallest details.
We ourselves are often included in this category: we don’t allow ourselves to make mistakes.

All that we achieve with such an attitude is the fear of moving forward – because certain steps call for new decisions whose results are unknown to us.

The fear of making a mistake is the door that locks us up in the castle of mediocrity: if we manage to overcome this fear, we are taking an important step towards our freedom.

 
 
 
 

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{ 147 comments… read them below or add one }

Jaqueline Simon May 22, 2011 at 1:03 am

O erro não é inconsciente,acredito eu que erramos tentando acerta. Não é errado que reconhecemos quando acertamos?
são os opostos (erros e acertos neste caso) que tornam nossa estada nesta dimensão mais interessante.

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evelyncita May 22, 2011 at 12:06 am

Quien no cometa errores no es humano.. pero no debemos invoncar siempre en esto para justificar nuestros errores… por miedo no hacemos las cosas que más nos agradan… esto sin ir a costa de los demás… yo amo la libertad y es mi busqueda constante…he experimentado la soledad que da tanto miedo a las personas, en ciertas ocasiones esta ha sido a causa de enfermedades y otras que yo he propiciado este momento de soledad… y me trae paz… tranquilidad el poder saber que puedo estar sola… lamentablemente no lo puedo hacer con frecuencia… pero mujeres, hombres es agradable estar solo con tu yo… con tu alma… tus pensamientos en tu interior…

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maia belinda sevallar May 22, 2011 at 12:03 am

that’s why we should not be afraid of failure in our ventures. i had more failures in my life than success, however, people are not aware of these because its my success that i hold on to so that it wont leave me. the more failures you had, the more you value and treasure your success!!!

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cristina May 21, 2011 at 11:48 pm

Da onde voce vein…….non falo portuquez pero lo aprecio mucho

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Jussara May 21, 2011 at 10:39 pm

Concordo . Muitas pessoas , por medo , se fecham no castelo da mediocridade .
Poucos tem a coragem de passar per esta porta e enfim, alcansar a liberdade.
Ah ! Liberdade , liberdade … tao proxima e tao distante…

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doro May 21, 2011 at 10:34 pm

… today I gazed at a flower I bought around seven month ago, the flower was in a perfect state and the colors still vivid; the time of purchase it was a gorgeous flower and by now it is desiccated. And so while gazing I recalled that before I went to buy the flower I gave a look to the vase and I thought I need a nice flower for this vase, one that stays long time in good shape. (this was my wish)

In fact I went only days later and I had no idea of the kind of flower I would buy and then in the store I saw a woman putting this fresh cut flowers in a vase and I was captured by the color of one and so I decided to buy it. Later on my way home I also saw that I did pay more for this flower then the sign in the shop said. I felt a little bad (like always we think we make a mistake) but I did not go back to the shop thinking they will find anyway an excuse for my bill, like this was the wrong sign or so.

In the end today I can see that this flower is worse all the money I paid for it and made me happy every time my eye got caught by this flower; so there was no mistake and leaving things to the universe in the end brought me on the right day to the right flower shop making my wish become true.

Sometimes we have to fail in small things that we can gain the fulfillment of our wish!

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Marie-Christine May 22, 2011 at 9:12 am

That’s gold!

I had a similar experience Doro, I was walking along the street when right in front of my eyes appeared this beautiful little quaint flower-shop.

“Goodness gracious” was the first word that came to my mind.

As I approached I could see the most magnificent bouquet I had ever seen. It was sprinkled with colour and attached with a pretty ribbon.oh ! Imagine my delight. I was short of breath just looking at it. I stood there for a long time trying to think what kind of vase i could put it in. Will the plain white do or the one that has a black background with that gold geometrical pattern adorned with the pink flower and yellow leaf or just the plain crystal?

The crystal was far too small for such a bouquet. Just looking at it, you could see it needed space to swim in the Spring water mixed with the teaspoon of sugar and the hint of bleach for a lengthier life expectancy. Plus I had to consider adding the ice cubes.

I looked at the flowers on all angles, they were picture perfect and would fit so well into my living room.

I am not mentioning the scent – absolutely out of this world -

I just could not resist it. I purchased it.

The lady smiled at me and I smiled back, she approved of my choice.

The feast was not over. She delicately put some kind of chiffon-looking white paper and roll them in, then again with a transparent sheet of paper. She very gently applied a sticker onto the side and said I had to wrap it around one of the stem. Then she continued on with another ribbon and made a beautiful wrapping with it that went from the top to the bottom to tie up the bouquet.

I was left with my mouth open to watch such performance.

i walked back home holding one of my best treasure for the day in my hands.

Geena May 21, 2011 at 10:24 pm

Everyone makes mistakes, they don’t define us though. And when we learn to accept that it will be easier to have honest dialogue with our companions

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CIELO AZUL May 21, 2011 at 10:22 pm

“GRACIAS A LOS HERRORES APRENDI A HACER MEJOR MIS PASTELES”

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jomarie lubay May 21, 2011 at 9:24 pm

And as always, you made a wonderful passage that enlighten us, Fear of moving forward, Fear of unknown, being comfortable at the same stage like being stagnant. I realized its okay to take a risk, and to move forward to the unknown, you,ll experience everything and you’ll make mistake but it is part of growing. And as you grow you will be wiser and be a better person someday. Thank you Paulo,, May God bless us all….

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Joanna May 21, 2011 at 8:53 pm

Paulo que lindas palavras…

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Ginja May 21, 2011 at 10:16 pm

“Be willing to live in between right and wrong. The ego needs and desperately wants to be right and make others wrong. In between right and wrong is a soft, messy laughing place where it does’nt matter.” Gark. This is my favourite quote. Finding this space is LOVELY.

Sybilla Bader May 21, 2011 at 7:58 pm

Thank you Mr. Coelho.
But who tells us that a mistake is really a mistake? Sometimes we need “mistakes” to grow up and also to learn to forgive others and at first ourself. If time pasts and a same situation comes we could remember and this remembering is the chance to recognize the assignment for changing something. so nothing is allways like it seems to be.

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Azad Najafov May 21, 2011 at 7:31 pm

Most advantageous attitude about mistakes and right behavior have research scientists. They do give accurate description of all made search attempts in precise sequence. Majority of these attempts lead to an incorrect result. But that position helps don’t repeate the same action, the same mistake. So, the science is based on mistakes ever done by scientists.

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Diane Kotelmach May 21, 2011 at 6:22 pm

This man makes you think!!!

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Paula May 21, 2011 at 6:11 pm

Thank you so much for writing these short, short stories! They always bring a smile to my face and remind me that life is a multitude of different experiences, good and bad. Thank you for remind us of this! And that struggle and mistakes are an important part of that experience. For a 22 year old, who has seen alot and still has yet to see more, I truly appreciate you and your writing. God Bless!

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chaman May 21, 2011 at 5:06 pm

have not read all your books paulo coelho whatever i have read i am suggesting my grandchildren to rea allthequotes arerealgems

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Fernando Román May 21, 2011 at 4:58 pm

Creo que el error es un comportamiento arraigado desde mucho tiempo atrás… Cometemos el mismo error esperando quizás saltar de la ley de la dualidad.
queremos descubrir que encierra la ley detrás del error. Llegan los policías del karma y nos atrapan.
¿la pregunta es que queremos descubrir detrás del error? ¿a quien queremos retar? ¿que queremos encontrar? existen dos posibilidades la primera el descubrimiento y la segunda la adicción al sufrimiento… Lo que quiero dejar claro es la esencia de esa naturaleza, existe y los dejo con algo de pablo.El mal que no quiero hacer, eso es lo que hago (Rm 7, 18-25a)

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Pilar May 21, 2011 at 4:53 pm

Muchos errores, se repiten… ¡ qué desolación!

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Sindhu May 21, 2011 at 4:38 pm

The words are so beautifully sculpted that there is no chance someone could even mistake reading its meaning… But then again, he would be learning..! ;)

Hats off to you sire, right said at right time..!

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Marouan AbdelHalim May 21, 2011 at 4:18 pm

Mistakes are essential for keeping us aware of our problems without it everything will seem aflatonic which means losing the meaning of life.

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Kamal May 21, 2011 at 4:03 pm

Il n y a que ceux qui ne font rien , qui ne commettent pas d’erreurs, leur attitude l’est plus.

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Henry Rojas May 21, 2011 at 3:53 pm

The older I get the more comfortable I am with the “I don’t knows in life”
It reminds me how unfathomable is the knowledge of the creator. The beauty of my intellectual limitations. And hurls me back into the wonderful awe of the present.

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Pilar May 21, 2011 at 5:18 pm

Qué bellas palabras, que tanto tranquiizan.

Panacea Reeta May 21, 2011 at 3:50 pm

To err is human. And the wise ones learn from it:)

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kenny macsween May 21, 2011 at 3:43 pm

The Word says ” like a dog returns to its vomit,a fool returns to his folly
More importantly it says ” the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God “

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paul May 21, 2011 at 4:30 pm

he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow

Biserka Vucetic May 21, 2011 at 3:39 pm

Two days ago I grabbed a post for the blog, it was a part of my scientific work to work with children with developmental problems and the inclusion of these children in regular education process sistem.Doet again. Our thoughts are my words of Nikola Tesla. “I am not wrong which someone steals the idea, but I’m sorry it has no idea. “You, sir, after all, each cast-makers are a good example, all of which place is great.

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Mathilde May 21, 2011 at 3:35 pm

i have the right to be wrong ;)P

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Ketan May 21, 2011 at 3:20 pm

I am not the best warrior but I AM A WINNER because I learnt from the battle I lost…

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Michael Riley May 21, 2011 at 3:18 pm

I’m all about embracing the mistakes. And then I try to make it better.

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Esteven hugo lopez May 21, 2011 at 3:01 pm

Even the worse mistakes have a place in human history to obviously remeber the greater discovery’s.
Alexander G. Bell made various mistakes before he perfected the light bulb!
Albert Einstein made several mistakes in his equations before perfecting E=MC2 the theory of Relativity!
Most REcently NASA Engineer’s made FAtal miscalculations that resulted in losing a space probe that cost over 1 billion loss in the NASA project!
“The mistake came when NASA Engineers used the Anglo Saxon Standard” use of measurements instead of the proven “International System of Measurements” or what is plainly known as “S.”I or the Metric System!

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Mark May 21, 2011 at 2:47 pm

Life is so perfect
even making mistakes has
The desired effect

Life just as it is
Now practice this perfection
Calm calamity

I mistook in vain
Pray you forgive me for all
That caused you pain

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Mark May 21, 2011 at 3:00 pm

What could I forgive
That has not already been
In Truth Fore Given

rajini May 21, 2011 at 2:38 pm

yes ! i commit mistakes…coz im a perfect human :)

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Rits May 21, 2011 at 2:38 pm

well said Paulo and here I am making umpteen mistakes in my life…… ;)

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Tammy Luckhardt May 21, 2011 at 2:09 pm

It is important to own up to your mistakes and learn from them. It is very important to teach this lesson to your children – early – and it’s a difficult lesson to teach, for children innately fear punishment or disappointing a parent no matter how much you reassure them ahead of time or how gentle a parent you are. That sense of responsibility to own up to mistakes I’ve found is one of the hardest lessons to teach. In an adult who has not learned this concept, the consequences are horrendous and you end up with someone who is transparent, depressed, bitter and lonely for no one is perfect and no one wants to be with those that think they are.

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Narsh Kokal May 21, 2011 at 2:05 pm

Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.
And I have plenty of experiences. ; ))

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praveen May 21, 2011 at 2:04 pm

Hi andrea, yo’ve taken the most important step towards ur freedom, as paulo made a note of it. So, hence forth yo r free from the burden of mediocrity, ur mind ll make use of al the mistakes to discover a new path.

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elif May 21, 2011 at 1:54 pm

but the fact is to learn from our mistakes

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Bagrin Diana May 21, 2011 at 1:49 pm

Cu toţii avem temeri. Pentru unii dintre noi, este frica de eşec. Dacă încercăm şi nu reuşim, atunci ne temem că ne-am putea face de râs. Ne temem chiar că i-am putea face pe alţii să se simtă prost. Pentru alţii, ar putea fi teama de succes. A reuşi ar putea fi şi mai înspăimântător decât a da greş. Fie că este frica de eşec, sau cea de succes, adevărul este că cei mai mulţi dintre noi nu îndrăznesc să aibă, să facă sau să fie ceea ce vor cu adevărat. Nimic nu ne ţine pe loc. Noi înşine ne ţinem pe loc.

Frica ne limitează, ne împiedică şi ne ţine pe loc. Cuvântul “frică” poate fi privit ca un acronim pentru Dovezi False care Par Reale. Produce bariere şi obstacole şi ne creează un comportament care ne transformă în proprii noştri duşmani, care, la rândul lui, provoacă vină şi anxietate, care pot duce apoi la imobilizarea completă.

Frica ne împedică să încercăm, iar dacă nu încercăm, nu părăsim niciodată locul în care ne aflăm acum – ceea ce, într-un mod ciudat, ne dovedeşte că nici nu am putea!
Duşmanul este frica. Frica ne erodează respectul de sine, ne corupe încrederea în sine şi, în timp, ne convinge că suntem rataţi. Atât timp cât lăsăm frica să ne conducă, nu vom îndrăzni niciodată să învingem.

Frica poate fi într-adevăr depăşită şi învinsă – atât timp cât înţelegem că sursa ei se găseşte în interior, nu în lumea exterioară.

Cu toţii vrem să înflorim în întregime şi să devenim tot ce suntem capabili să fim. Cu toţii dorim abundenţă şi prosperitate. Cu toţii vrem să fim foarte sănătoşi şi fericiţi. Cu toţii vrem relaţii profunde, importante şi pline de sens. Cu toţii vrem dragoste, bucurie, fericire şi împlinire. Cu toţii vrem ce este mai bun di toate.

Surpriza este că putem să le avem! Tot ce trebuie să facem este să ne depăşim fricile şi să îndrăznim să ne urmăm scopurile. Putem face aproape orice, dacă nu încălcăm Legile Bunului Dumnezeu sau drepturile celorlalte fiinţe umane.

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Marcelo Sabará May 21, 2011 at 1:49 pm

For sure Paulo… due accept some mistakes that I found the right way… ande with them I learned not to make the same mistakes again… only the new ones. lol

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Zoran May 21, 2011 at 1:37 pm

Lovely. Even more, as for individuals, it is important that social systems allow mistakes as well. Organization/social system that are too rigid in punishing mistakes and enforcing responsibility, lose their flexibity and capacity to learn.

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doaa shahin May 21, 2011 at 1:28 pm

paulo you are the best

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Natascha May 21, 2011 at 1:24 pm

Thanks a lot. the required word at the right time :)

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Andrea May 21, 2011 at 1:23 pm

Paulo you are as a “Social Friend”. Every time I read your blog I discover something that enriched me and is important for understand many situations. As if you are a friend to talk about somethings and you always have the right answer. I want to tell you Thank you! Because you are very important for all of us!
(sorry for my not perfect english ;-)

Greetings from a your passionate reader from Italy.
Andrea

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JAY May 21, 2011 at 1:20 pm

yes, Its like every mistake is step for moving towards perfection and success….bcoz we can learn from what we did in past???….. We can make our life more better by learning from our mistakes…..Ty Joycean and Nice Marie.

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Abdülkadir Bagdat May 21, 2011 at 1:18 pm

Mistakes and practices open us the gate of true and perfect way …

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Lor May 21, 2011 at 1:13 pm

I wouldnt agree- those who always think they are right, are not afraid of moving ahead, cos their mistakes are noticed by others, not themselves (cos themselves genuinly are sure about their right opinions and decisions)….am one of them ://

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Genesis May 21, 2011 at 1:09 pm

Oscar Wilde once wrote in “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, “…the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes.” Mistake serves as lessons to ourselves and lessons to those who we want to help and love.

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Rafael Aparisi May 21, 2011 at 1:09 pm

El miedo a errar, es el carcelero que nos impide vivir en libertad.

Muchas gracias, de nuevo, Paulo.

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Michaela May 18, 2011 at 2:40 am

big big truth… I love this reading… Thank you

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Lailah May 18, 2011 at 1:27 am

This is true. I believe mistakes are part of my imperfect life.

If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t make anything. – Paulo

Love,
Lailah <3

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A Joycean May 18, 2011 at 12:48 am

Whatever the value of mistakes may be, you would be wise to read books before quoting from them.

What Joyce wrote was “A man of genius makes no mistakes. His errors are volitional and are the portals of discovery.” And it was Stephen Dedalus speaking. Stephen does share many elements of his biography with Joyce, but it would be naive at best to assume that everything Stephen says Joyce believed.

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Maretha Cronje May 21, 2011 at 1:20 pm

Paulo, you are indeed a man of your word. So glad you demonstrate what you say!

Marie May 17, 2011 at 9:00 pm

I don’t know a lot about life.
And if I’m ashamed of my ignorance
My daring is to learn

Always be aware of the consequences of my actions or my words
This is not what I want
I prefer to go towards perfection rather than being
As I avoid being bored

More than anything, I have a hope in life rooted deep in my soul
It’s an endless dance she gives me and I accept with pleasure

So if in conscience, I can’t offer you what I don’t own myself
Have the daring to accept what I am
If you persist in ignorance
So, take another path

If our paths are found
Is that we should remember
At the beginning was the Word

Light & Love,

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MuHaMeD..S May 21, 2011 at 3:50 pm

everyone makes mistakes; that’s why they put an eraser on the pencil… whoever said that, couldn’t have said that better!..

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