Lessons Learned

I much prefer 'lessons learned' over 'mistakes.' Mistakes have such a painful connotation, especially after you have made a few big ones. Lessons learned is so much easier to swallow. It's much more positive, helpful and promotes a growth mindset.

So yesterday, I learned some valuable lessons. Things didn't go as planned. Cow patties hit the fan. But, I am smarter today and will NOT repeat those actions. It didn't help that it was a very public event. I found comfort in the words of my book mentor - Wayne Dyer when he wrote to me and said, "Let thine own peace not be in the mouths of men." Which roughly translated for my own benefit means - "Don't worry about what other people think of say about you. Most of it they never thought it nor did they say it. The fear in my head just made it all up. Most of it.

I can make those lessons more valuable when I write them down and share them with my grandchildren.

"Triple check any IT issues before a meeting."

"Some of your greatest ideas may not be your greatest ideas."

"Cut a tree down before it knocks over a fence."

"If you're mad, count to ten. If you're really mad count to one hundred while walking away fast."

Other people's lessons learned.

"How much pain has the evil costs us that never happened."

Thomas Jefferson

"Worry about courage…don’t worry about popular opinion.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald

“The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.”

Gloria Steinem

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

Kurt Vonnegut

"Failure is a learning experience. You can either turn it into a tombstone or a steppingstone."

John D. Rockefeller