Page 324 - Ray Dalio - Principles

once had a ski instructor who had also given lessons to
Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time.
Jordan, he told me, reveled in his mistakes, seeing each of

them as an opportunity to improve. He understood that
mistakes are like those little puzzles that, when you solve
them, give you a gem. Every mistake that you make and learn
from will save you from thousands of similar mistakes in the
future.

3.2 Don’t worry about looking good—

worry about achieving your

goals.

Put your insecurities away and get on with achieving your

goals. Reflect and remind yourself that an accurate criticism is
the most valuable feedback you can receive. Imagine how silly
and unproductive it would be to respond to your ski instructor
as if he were blaming you when he told you that you fell
because you didn’t shift your weight properly. It’s no different
if a supervisor points out a flaw in your work process. Fix it
and move on.

a. Get over “blame” and “credit” and get on with “accurate” and
“inaccurate.” Worrying about “blame” and “credit” or “positive”
and “negative” feedback impedes the iterative process that is
essential to learning. Remember that what has already
happened lies in the past and no longer matters except as a
lesson for the future. The need for phony praise needs to be
unlearned.

3.3 Observe the patterns of mistakes

to see if they are products of

weaknesses.

Everyone has weaknesses and they are generally revealed in
the patterns of mistakes they make. The fastest path to success