It’s interesting how one idea will trigger a bunch of connections based on what you’re doing at the moment.
The ant
The author of Creativity writes:
“Human beings are the only creatures that are allowed to fail. If an ant fails, it’s dead, but we’re allowed to learn from our mistakes.”
What that seems to imply is that failure is part of the learning process. Reading “How to Think Like Leonardo…” I know why.
Before we get to that, though, were you a fan of Star Trek? I loved how Spock kept his cool under fire. The connection between Spock and Leonardo is uncanny when you think about how they both handled mistakes.
Curiositá
One of the seven fundamental principles of thinking like Leonardo is Curiositá. Curiositá is an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning.
So how did Spock approach a “mistake?” He didn’t get emotional and scream at people (or himself). He became very curious. In fact, his favorite word seemed to be “Fascinating.”
Two ways
There are two ways we can handle mistakes when they happen. We can get emotional. Or … we can be like Spock (or Leonardo). We can become curious. We can let what caused the mistake in the first place fascinate us. As you explore the causes of the problem, you enter the learning process. We’d suggest once you understand the solution, you’ll solve the problem forever!
The worst
The worst way to handle a mistake is to let someone else do it for you. Don’t let the teacher take the brush away from you. Demand that they explain how to move the brush, and how to pick up the paint so you can correct the error. Make the learning stick — for life.
The only way to learn is to fall flat on your face and then pick yourself up again. There seems to be no other way.
In Master Class, we teach you the right way to paint from the start. We make it easy to learn from your mistakes. We’re here to help you every step of the way. Learn more about Master Class at this link.