How to Fail like a Scientist
Following two quotes jumped out at me from Anne-Laure's article on how to Fail Like a Scientist
"Scientific experiments are not designed to succeed. They are designed to explore a question, and potentially increase knowledge of a problem."
"To fail like a scientist is to embrace the experimental nature of life. Everything is an experiment, every failure a learning opportunity. It’s about having a growth mindset—where uncertainty is a positive sign that you are learning and growing."
In [Learning How to Learn] course by Barbara Oakley1, she recommends focusing on process over product to combat procrastination, which is similar to [The Super Mario Effect] by Mark Rober to stay motivated. Anne-Laure's support for the call to focus on progress over success clearly shows the view on failure is to see it as an addition to gaining personal knowledge and is the step in the right direction.
Challenge assumptions and learn when to move on to something else instead of continuously banning our heads.
- explore new paths and indulge in ones curiosity
- ask good questions: "Why?" "What if?" "How?"
- progress over success
- time for reflection
In pottery, I see every piece of my art as a test piece. And it has helped me accept when things break or when the outcome from glaze fires are not what I expected. According to this article, I should use this similar mindset in all areas of my life, especially learning for my career.