When You Miss the Mark, Don’t Miss the Lesson

Here’s a quote, resource, and affirmation to help power you through the rest of the week.

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Quote

“The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake. You can't learn anything from being perfect.” — Adam Osborne

Resource - The Gift of Mistakes

Perfection feels safe. It gives us control. But in teaching—and in life—perfection is a mirage that drains creativity and courage.

The truth is, every mistake carries information.

When a lesson flops, it teaches flexibility.

When a conversation with a student goes sideways, it teaches empathy and repair.

When a grading system fails, it teaches clarity and simplicity.

Neuroscience backs this up: research on error-based learning shows that our brains actually grow and strengthen through mistakes—especially when we reflect on them with curiosity instead of judgment. Each “failure” fires the neural pathways that lead to mastery.

Try this:

1. The next time something doesn’t go as planned, pause and name one thing it’s teaching you.
2. Write it down.
3. Then, forgive yourself and move forward a little wiser.

Perfection may impress others, but reflection transforms you.

The Power of Self-Forgiveness

We often extend compassion to our students when they make mistakes—but struggle to do the same for ourselves.

Research from Stanford’s Self-Compassion Project shows that people who practice self-forgiveness experience lower stress, greater resilience, and a stronger sense of motivation.

Self-forgiveness isn’t letting yourself off the hook. It’s releasing the cycle of guilt and shame so you can learn and begin again.

You can’t grow from a mistake if you’re still punishing yourself for it.

So when the voice of self-criticism appears, answer it with grace:

“I did my best with what I knew then—and I’m learning more now.”

Each time you do, you model something powerful for your students: that learning includes grace, not just grit.

Now Repeat...

I release the need to be perfect. I forgive myself for what I didn’t know. Every mistake is a moment of growth.

Journal Prompt

What recent mistake or regret could you release through self-forgiveness—and what lesson can you carry forward from it?

Remember:

Strength isn’t about never falling—it’s about how you rise, learn, and rebuild with more wisdom than before.

With gratitude,

Jeremy