The Running for Real Podcast Mistakes and Failures Are OK (with Sidney Baptista) - R4R 287
That episode sadly was lost. But a situation that could be regarded as a failure became an opportunity to reflect on making mistakes, practicing self-compassion, and the importance of a supportive environment. If you've ever made a mistake in your life, this episode is for you. And if you're a perfect human being who has never committed an error, it's still for you, because you'll have the pleasure of meeting Sid for a brief conversation. He'll be back for a longer talk in the future.
"I wanted to reach out and say it was someone else's fault other than my own, knowing full well that it was my fault and it's okay to make a mistake."
After an anxiety-filled night thinking about all of the things that can go wrong when you're an entrepreneur, Tina awoke in the morning to find out that one of them had. She was told by her editor that the podcast file that she'd sent him didn't contain any audio. Somehow the interview hadn't been recorded.
After the initial shock wore off, she decided to record an episode about making mistakes and reached out to tell the Running for Real team about it.
"Admitting mistakes is easier when we are surrounded by a safe community of people."
She knew that her team wouldn't think any less of her for making a mistake, and she also trusted that her listeners wouldn't be judgmental. For Tina, the Running for Real community is a "safe, encouraging, supportive environment, where I feel like I can share and can admit my mistakes and can talk about these things."
Especially at this time in history, when there's so much blaming and shaming, and people are afraid that anything they say or do may be used against them, that safe space is something that everyone needs. If you feel as though you wouldn't feel comfortable speaking out if you made a mistake, think about how you can create a supportive environment.
"If we don't allow ourselves the opportunity to make mistakes and to admit a mistake, we are also losing opportunities to be able to fix it, to be able to learn from it, to grow."
When you tell someone about a mistake that you made, they may have advice for how to turn it into something positive, or at least less negative. It also gives you an opportunity to connect more deeply with that person, and helps them to feel that they can share their mistakes.
It's only by acknowledging a mistake that we can move forward. And never underestimate the positive outcome that may result from it… Post-It Notes were created when their inventor failed to make the strong adhesive he was trying to develop!
"Shame thrives on silence, judgment, and secrecy, and by bringing that out into the light I didn't allow it to take over my mind."
Tina posted about what had happened on Instagram, and reached out to Sid to apologize and to ask if he would talk about it. Not only was he not angry, he thought "people will really enjoy this, and taking something that didn't work out and making it kind of a teaching moment and a learning moment is really cool."
He could relate; it was a failure in his concert-promoting business that led him to running. That, however, is a story for a future episode…
Resources:Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Thank you to Tracksmith and InsideTracker for sponsoring this episode.Tracksmith is a Boston-based company that truly cares about the quality of their running clothes. Running can be demanding on our clothes; they definitely go through wear and tear to where we may be purchasing new clothes constantly. Tracksmith designers work with the finest materials and keep you in mind as a runner, with spots for your keys, phone, and fuel. You can go here to check out my favorites!
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"Thank you" to Sidney. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the show.