WHAT I LOVED MOST IN LIFE WAS MAKING MISTAKES

The word hata, which entered our language from Arabic, means mistake or error. In society, behaviors and words that are deemed unacceptable are also labeled as mistakes. From this, we understand that a behavior is considered a mistake when it is socially unacceptable. However, this definition does not mention how mistakes influence a person’s behavioral changes. It only speaks of what is acceptable and unacceptable by societal standards. This definition feels incomplete…

I believe the definition of mistake should change. Definitions can vary, but for me, a mistake is an experience that fosters growth, transformation, and learning. A child learns not to touch something they shouldn't by actually touching it. They fall while learning to walk, but they get up and keep going. Tripping over an obstacle doesn’t stop them from trying. They express dislike for a certain food not with words, but by turning their head away. Without even speaking, they transform what we call mistakes into lessons as they grow.

Growth itself happens through mistakes. Mistakes play a role in maturing, refining, and even taming a person. No matter how we define them, we should emphasize the lessons that mistakes leave behind. In environments where mistakes are constantly discussed but lessons are ignored, mistakes become confused with guilt. Taking a lesson from a mistake and not repeating the same action becomes the most faithful definition of a mistake. Because we need to recognize the power of mistakes—the way they strengthen and develop us.

Living in fear of making mistakes is a major obstacle that limits all of our potential. Another way to restrict human potential is to leave mistakes as they are instead of transforming them into lessons. Yet life teaches us lessons through mistakes that no school ever could. The moment a mistake is acknowledged, it turns into a lesson.

First and foremost, people must recognize when they have made a mistake. They need to observe themselves from the outside, verbally acknowledge their mistake, and reflect on where they went wrong. When a mistake is truly realized, it rarely repeats itself. In this way, mistakes become a natural part of life. But just as it is important for someone to point out our mistakes, it is equally essential for us to acknowledge them within ourselves. We must first accept our mistakes, take responsibility for them, and think about how to transform them.

When raising children, we should teach them to recognize their mistakes. Treating everything they create or do as perfect, and hiding the truth from them just to keep them happy, is one of the greatest barriers to their personal development.

Mistakes are opportunities that we must face with courage. Instead of avoiding mistakes, seeing each one as a learning experience opens the doors to real success.

That is why we must not fear making mistakes. We must own them, see them as our teachers, and allow them to shape a stronger version of ourselves with each step. Because true growth and transformation do not come from perfection, but from trying, failing, and confronting our mistakes.