Experiments are “failures” we learn from.
“Failure” is another word for “not what I expected.”
Expectations help keep us going. Dopamine levels increase when we expect a positive outcome or reward from an activity. The chemical hit makes us feel energized and focused. But here’s the thing: It’s not the actual achievement of the reward but the anticipation of it that spikes dopamine.
Expectations can also set us up for disappointment if the outcome is inferior to what we hoped for. Now we’re back to “failure” and “mistake.”
Fear of making mistakes or failing is the death of creative problem-solving and fearless decision-making.
It’s not the “mistake” that’s the problem. That’s an attitude about the outcome. The real problem is learning nothing from it.