Full transcript here 👋 Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening. This is your life. This is your chance. Listen.

The word for today is mistake, and we’re giving it a break. Mistakes often don’t feel good in the moment, but they can lead to discoveries and progress. Back in 2007, I was sitting on the toilet, and I heard a bird outside that sounded like it was saying an English word. This mistake in comprehension led me to wonder what a world would be like where bird songs were actually windows into their secret lives. I worked with a friend to sketch out images of turkeys in jogging suits, cranes drinking lattes, and robins dressed as cheerleaders. All those delightful designs came from a moment of mistake. I’ll admit that many mistakes don’t produce this much fruit, such as breaking a dish or stubbing your toe, but we can always look for the upside of mistakes. This is actually part of Carol Dweck’s growth mindset. According to Wikipedia, “Individuals with a ‘growth’ mindset are more likely to continue working hard despite setbacks.” When you experience a mistake today, ask yourself if there are any possibilities hiding behind the frustration.

Today’s concrete challenge is to start out trying to draw a perfect line on a page. You’ll probably find that it’s nigh impossible to freehand a perfectly straight line, but I want you to take 30 seconds to stare at your line. What does your mistake look like? Add to your line to make it into whatever it reminds you of. You might find that you can make art from your mistakes.

If you want to commit, say the following phrase: “I will start with a line.”

I’ll keep the music playing while you get it done, and don’t miss the soundtrack at the end of this episode.

Before you go, repeat the following soundtrack, “I am the kind of person who transforms mistakes.”

Let me know if this made a difference in your day by leaving a comment in your podcast app or at concrete.win/today.

Check back tomorrow for a new challenge. Until then.

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