Sometimes You Need to Make a Deliberate Mistake to Make Progress

John Cadell, writing for productivity and ideas blog the 99u, explains:

Often when faced with a difficult task we make a set of assumptions that dictate our actions. “I’m not good enough to get that client.” Or “I can’t go to that event, it’s too big-time for me.” We can sabotage ourselves before we even begin, afraid of failure or embarrassment. To tackle hard problems and to really stretch ourselves, sometimes we have to make a “deliberate mistake.”

Many people, after accruing a reasonable amount of experience, often wait out perfection. We think we're not ready yet, or that we need more time before our skill level or work proficiency can take us somewhere. At those times, when we fail to act because we know we'll fail, mistakes might just provide the solution. Next time you feel yourself stuck, consider screwing up on purpose. You might not get what you really want, but you'll probably learn something that'll bring you a little closer to your goal.