Just saw the following story on a 'life coach' e mail I get - probably not wholly realistic I grant you but intersting all the same...
Jack Canfield shared a story about how a famous research scientist had learned the value of experimenting even when he failed. When he was a young boy, the scientist tried getting milk from the refrigerator by himself and dropped the container spilling milk all over the floor. When his mother came in the kitchen she laughed and said, ?What a wonderful mess.? She asked if he wanted to play in the milk, and they laughed together as he played for a few minutes.
She then told him that anytime he made a mess, he needed to clean it up. She asked him if he wanted to use a mop, a sponge or a towel. The little boy chose a sponge. After they cleaned the floor together, his mother told him that since his experiment had failed that they should take the milk container outside and fill it with water so he could practice carrying it.
The boy discovered that if he gripped the bottle near the top he could safely carry the milk. What a wonderful lesson! This renowned scientist said that it was at that moment he knew he didn?t need to be afraid to fail. Instead he learned that his failures were an opportunity for him to experiment and learn something new.
What do you think?