Neil Gaiman on Making Mistakes

Mistakes. We try our best to avoid making them, but that may be the worst thing we could possibly do. Neil Gaiman has a terrific wish for us all to remember regarding mistakes.

Such brilliant advice for all of us. I don’t want to beat a dead horse here as I know I’ve talked about failure more than once. This message, this wish for all of us, to make mistakes is just so vitally important to the creative process.

As he so beautifully states, in making those amazing mistakes it means you are pushing yourself past your comfort zone. This is where the growth happens, not just creatively but as a person as well.

I really love the idea of making amazing, beautiful mistakes. The idea of making mistakes that nobody has ever made before. Making those kinds of mistakes mean that I am pushing, growing, and exploring all new territory within MY creative voice. It’s an indicator that I’m truly pursuing my own voice, my own journey, my true adventure.

If I find myself making the same mistakes as everyone else, it might be a sign I’m not staying true to my own unique creative voice. Rather, it makes me feel like I’m chasing someone, or something, else. Chasing someone else’s dream is sure to be a dead end.

As Chase Jarvis has said many a time, “You can’t stand out and fit in at the same time.”

That’s why making our own fantastic mistakes is essential to our personal and creative growth.

Here’s hoping you look back on 2020 with the fondest memories from all of the beautiful mistakes you made as you pushed yourself in new directions!

Originally published at https://aicpod.com on January 3, 2020.