On Making Mistakes

At 57, I’m busy watching the next generation of folks feel their way along the path of their lives, and I’m wondering, “Do we have to make big mistakes to learn big lessons?” I know I did. Case in point, when I was 22, I moved to New York City. Life was hard there, but I managed to find a good living situation ($450.00/month for the bedroom of a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn) and a good part-time job with full benefits. But I lasted only six months in the city. I missed amenities such as a washer and dryer, my car and the predictability of a suburb of Akron. Needless to say, I moved home.   But what if I’d stayed? Where would I be now? I consider it a mistake that I didn’t last at least a year there. They say if you can survive a year in a new city, you’re home free; life gets easier; you may never leave. Here’s another mistake. When I was 27 and was looking for my first full-time college teaching job, I opted for the position that paid the most money. Big mistake. The environment of the school was deplorable. It was run by a bunch of no good guys who still believed in breaking in new professors by having sex with them. I wasn’t playing that game, so I went nowhere at the school. After three long years, I left the university, miserable and disillusioned. At this point, looking back, the best decision would have been to take the half-time teaching position at a local Catholic college. It didn’t pay as much, but the job would have afforded a much bette...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Aging Inspiration & Hope Personal Coping Hindsight mistakes Resilience risk-taking Source Type: blogs