The Mistakes Will Continue

If you are hesitant about flaunting your weaknesses, this example might be helpful.

John Grisham is one of the most successful authors of the last twenty years. Starting with The Firm, his legal thrillers have been read by millions and then seen by millions more after being made into feature films.

If effectiveness requires us to be well-rounded and balanced, then you'd expect to find those characteristics in the lives of exceptional people. But you don't.

Grisham has obvious weaknesses. But he's not trying to fix them. He just admits them and refuses to change. He flaunts his flaws.

In the Author's Note section of Grisham's most recent book, The Confession, he writes:

"Some overly observant readers may stumble across a fact or two that might appear to be in error.

They may consider writing letters to point out my shortcomings. They should conserve paper.

 There are mistakes in this book, as always, and as long as I continue to loathe research,

while at the same time remaining perfectly content to occassionally dress up the facts,

I'm afraid the mistakes will continue.

My hope is that the errors are insignificant in nature."

What can we learn from Grisham's example?

1. Grisham isn't listening to the criticism. (conserve paper)
2. He admits the flaws. (there are mistakes)
3. He explains that he is the source of the flaws. (loathing research, content to dress up facts)
4. He refuses to change, to fix the flaws. (mistakes will continue)
5. He reminds us that the flaws don't matter. (the errors are insignificant)

Comments

[Matthew Peters]

Great words to live by. If I would have waited to write mistake-free, I'd still be in the editing process. There is a sense of responsibility that I have to getting everything right, but you can never get it all right. Just move forward, make mistakes along the way and get over it.