Really, it’s OK to be wrong
“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” ~Anonymous
One-uppers, control freaks, critics, and perfectionists always top my list of pet peeves. Afraid to look foolish, these are the rigid folks who rarely color outside the proverbial lines. They like to point out the crooked seams on your brand-new outfit, for example, or correct your errors in public. Always right, they aim to win every argument. I bet you know a few of them too — and would agree they’re a lot less fun to be around.
The fear of being wrong, or appearing wrong, is a buzz kill for just about everything. Today’s quote reminds us that the creative life is all about risk and adventure — which can lead to making mistakes. Being creative (in the full sense of the word) requires true humility and a willingness to risk disappointment.
As I tell everyone who takes my writing classes, the quickest way to overcome the paralysis of writer’s block is to stamp out your fear of being wrong. Generally speaking, I also believe the sure path to joy — in any endeavor — is to get over yourself and dive in. ~CL
Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
