The meaning of the phrase “to err is human” is clear: making mistakes is part of human nature. However, this should not be an excuse to repeat the same mistakes, but rather an opportunity to learn from experience.
Thomas Edison, for example, was grateful for his thousand mistakes before inventing the electric light bulb, because each one brought him closer to his success.
Error is not a negative thing that should be avoided at all costs. On the contrary, it can attract innovative solutions. The Institute of Medicine’s “To Err Is Human” report, published in 1999, marked a milestone in the US healthcare system. This report highlighted the importance of patient safety and promoted research in healthcare. Since then, effective interventions have been developed and adopted to reduce hospital infections and improve medication safety. Despite these advances, the frequency of preventable harm remains high. With the increasing availability of electronic data and artificial intelligence, it is essential to invest in methods to measure and predict the risk of patient harm, which could lead to a great improvement in safety.
Why should knowledge begin with certainties? René Descartes sought an indubitable basis on which to build his philosophy, but history has shown that no certainty is eternal. Pragmatism, on the other hand, accepts error as part of human activity: every action is subject to errors. It is reasonable to reduce the probability of error, but it is impossible to eliminate it completely. Eliminating the possibility of error leads to paralysis through excessive analysis.
Analysis paralysis is a common mistake in projects that are stalled by an endless evaluation phase. Instead of waiting for perfection, we must act. Action, even if imperfect, brings results. If you find yourself paralyzed, stop and breathe. Remember that you will never have all the information or feel 100% confident. Act anyway, and you will move forward.
Instead of waiting for certainties, we should proceed with guesses and half-truths, put them into practice, observe their effects, and adjust our beliefs accordingly. Experimental science is based on hypothesis, experience, and review, seeking to learn from experience and adjust our actions to what happens in the real world.
All beliefs are fallible. Our task is to find out how they are wrong and to do so as quickly as possible. Learning from experience involves learning from our mistakes. Without error, there is no learning. Scientific theories frequently change because they are adjusted to new information gained from experience.
Avoiding mistakes can prevent you from coming into contact with valuable experiences. Those who avoid social situations do not learn to overcome rejection. Those who do not take risks do not lose, but they cannot win either. To err is human, but not learning from our mistakes is harmful. We can learn to make mistakes intelligently through effective methods.
Our minds produce falsehoods as well as truths. He who fears error avoids combat, but that is not how victories are won. Our mistakes should not be viewed with solemnity. In a world where error is inevitable, a certain lightness is healthier than excessive anxiety.
- Set reasonable goals to avoid gross mistakes.
- Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, but concentrate on what you’re doing.
- Don’t compare yourself with others, but generate your own ideas.
- Mistakes indicate that there is still something to learn.
- Be brave and publicly acknowledge your shortcomings.
- Think about the goal, not about possible mistakes.
- In the long run, mistakes are the best teachers.
- Don’t punish yourself, but learn.
- Don’t blame others, find your own responsibility.
- Be grateful for your mistakes, successes will come thanks to them.
To err is human, and failure and mistakes are not excuses for not trying again. A crash course in learning how to deal with error involves having a clear objective, making a plan, monitoring its execution, and being creative and flexible in adjusting the plan when something goes wrong. Learning from error is essential for growth and success.
