Be Stupid

I've not lost my mind, nor am I making excuses for incompetence.  I’m promoting a principle I just learned from Daniel Coyle’s book The Little Book of Talent.  

He says – “Be willing to be stupid.

If we want to improve any skill, we have to skate on the edge of our abilities and see how far we can go, how much we can strain and still be effective.  In other words, be willing to be stupid and look stupid. 

Reach

Strain

Do the ridiculous

Wayne Gretzky, the famed hockey player, was famous for performing all kinds of antics in practice.  One might think he was the clumsiest of skaters, but what he was really doing was finding the edge of his limits.  He was testing the waters.  He was pushing his skill to the edge, and the edge kept expanding.  

Daniel says this:  “Feeling stupid is no fun.  Being willing to be stupid – being willing to risk the emotional pain of making mistakes – is absolutely essential.”

Risk the emotional pain …

Vital principle. 

 

Daniel makes a comment I want to implant into the minds of every person alive. 

“Mistakes are not really mistakes – they are the guideposts you use to get better.”

And another …

“Mistakes are not verdicts, but information.”

Chew on that for a while.

Order Now

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time