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Ricardo Marques
Lisbon
Portugal

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What mistake defines you?

Hi, I've launched a website recently (www.recycledmistakes.com) and I'm trying to see how people deal with their own mistakes.
I was wondering if have an idea of that thing you did (or didn't do) in your past that has lead to where you are in life now?
Did you learn anything important?

Thanks

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Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes

Topics: advice lessons learned life experience mistake

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peter lindsay 30+
- +2
Jun 20 2012: Holding onto guilt even after the person you wronged has forgiven you.
Bharath Kumar Kunjibettu 10+
- +2
Jun 15 2012: A very good topic Ricardo,
According to me , I won't say I committed a mistake by not following my passion for music since my school days.

Now I am a software engineer (I was interested in programming but not passionate though) and in my 3 years of IT industry experience , I realized my hidden talents apart from music. I could counsel people, come up with solutions to a problem ,Spirituality, Psychology and Philosophy, entrepreneurship.
So some times mistakes are bound to happen , but thats what redefines you. If one does not make mistakes, there is hardly anything one learns. Mistakes are meant to make you stronger.

Regards,
Bharath
Ricardo Marques
- 0
Jun 15 2012: The first time someone asked me what I liked to be when I grew up I said: I wanna be a veterinarian. I must have been around 8. I liked playing with animals so the prospect of being around them for a living seemed like a nice idea.

In the mean time I had to finish my education. Primary school (4 years, 6-10) was easy, middle school (5 years, 10-15) was boring and high school (3 years, 15-18) was... well... lets say "interesting".

Don't know when but my plans for being a veterinarian got lost, and I tried to figure something out. It was a hard time since I didn't have a clue of what I wanted to do any more, but I decided Computer Engineering.

I finished high school with average grades, just high enough for me to get into the University/College I chose. I could have done a lot better in high school, even considering I didn't do my best even while in middle school. But my laziness took over and I only did as much as I needed to get into University.

Well I did get into the University I wanted, but in the end the course was a bit different from what I was thinking, as I realised it would most likely involve a life of me sitting in a desk looking at a computer screen. So as this happened wondered If I would have problems changing courses because of my crappy high school grades...

Guess what?!? I was right...

The plan I had for college was in the trash and I was having trouble getting into the course I did like then, Biology.

In the end my laziness kind of screwed me and kind of ruined my higher education.

Edit: Just in case you were wondering which was mine lol
- Debra Smith 200+
  - 0
  Jul 12 2012: Ricardo, It is only when we think we have to do such and such by a certain age that we end up making statements like "laziness kind of screwed me and kind of ruined my higher education". I got my degrees after 40 after I had 5 children. You are NOT lazy! Just get busy now and somehow tap into your love of veterinary medicine! You CAN do it but it might be at a different school which is usually very good for exanding your understanding.
  - Ricardo Marques
    
    0
    Jul 12 2012: Ah don't worry, my desire to become a veterinarian faded away a long time ago lol I was actually more interested in biology, psychology, and physics while I was in college. In the mean time I've figured out that college education in Portugal kind of sucks. I don't see myself taking any more here, If I start traveling maybe I'll be able to study a bit more abroad.
    - Debra Smith 200+
      
      0
      
      Jul 12 2012: Consider online courses from good universities. It might work for you if they are acepted in Portugal. Your English is superb!
  - Ricardo Marques
    
    +1
    Jul 12 2012: Not really, no one cares about them here lol... But I do prefer a Hands on approach, I just need to get my projects working and then I'll have better chances of travelling lol.
    lol Thanks... watching cartoon re-runs on Cartoon Network has it's perks (plus almost as many years of english as I had of portuguese in school helps lol)
Mr K
- +2
Jun 14 2012: My mistake:
Believing that being an unspoken idealist makes me greater and more precious than the vulgarity of revealing with words what I am too afraid to say.
As a result, I am no longer that impulsive irreverent that quantified a day by its surprises, so I stand aside resigning myself.

In other words, my mistake is my reflection. I overthink things, and, though actions do mean more than words, when actions do not reach others, things need to be said, but I never get there.
- Debra Smith 200+
  - 0
  Jul 12 2012: Wow! So much self awareness and reflectivity in your response will serve you and those you encounter very well. Just remember that it is not necessary to hurt people (normally) to help them.
dean crawford
- +2
Jun 13 2012: Ill be around a while. Thanks for the smile you provided this am and no more stories today.
peter lindsay 30+
- +1
Jun 13 2012: Leaving too many questions unasked because I was afraid of the possible answers.
- Debra Smith 200+
  - 0
  Jun 13 2012: It is really wonderful to see such strong people choose to be so honest and transparent.
John Dunbar 10+
- +2
Jun 13 2012: My mistake was, for a period of time, allowing for my mistakes to define me. Only after significant struggle and suffering was I able to define myself and stand as a man who follows his principles.
- Debra Smith 200+
  - 0
  Jun 13 2012: Yes! If only men realized how amazingly wonderful a man who chooses to espouse these values is to some women like me. Women are seldom as swayed by exteriors as men are. Give me a man of substance every time!
Comment deleted
- Eberhard Schmitz
  - +1
  Jun 13 2012: Keep on getting help
  with kindness in mind
  - Comment deleted
    - Debra Smith 200+
      
      +1
      
      Jun 13 2012: Yes, you might make that mistake from your conditioning but we are not making that mistake as it pertains to you. We are delighted you are here! Please stay and give us th privledge of your company!
Thanh Nguyen
- 0
Jun 12 2012: good idea!
Erik Richardson 500+
- +2
TEDx Organizer

Jun 12 2012: Pronoun math error: Believing the value of "I" was greater than the value of "we."
Debra Smith 200+
- +3
Jun 12 2012: I do not think any particular mistake defines me- even marrying my ex resulted in the most beautiful children.So maybe what defines me is mistakes redeemed.
Ed Schulte 50+
- +2
Jun 12 2012: not listening
Fritzie Reisner 100+
- +1
Host

Jun 12 2012: I expect that many of us have a certain mistake we seem to make repeatedly or a bad habit (rather than a single incident) that we don't abandon on a timely basis. Mine is sometimes giving a gambit longer than it deserves. Other times I am quick to size things up, so it isn't that I usually stick with something too long. Just sometimes. Verble below mentions the opposite problem, of not taking advantage of some opportunities out of fear. Still, I don't see the mistake as defining the person as much as that a person's personality may produce a tendency to certain kinds of mistakes.
Verble Gherulous 20+
- +1
Jun 12 2012: The only mistake that defines me are all the opportunities I was too afraid to take: missed job opportunities, a few women I was too scared to ask out, putting Ilsa on that plane while I stayed behind in Casablanca. . .
- Debra Smith 200+
  - +1
  Jun 12 2012: Bogie is that you?Call Lauren.
  - Verble Gherulous 20+
    
    0
    Jun 14 2012: Lauren always told me to whistle! :-)
    - Debra Smith 200+
      
      +1
      
      Jun 14 2012: She is still listening. Love tends to be like that.
dean crawford
- +1
Jun 12 2012: The mistake that defines me mom and dad getting drunk and here I am
- Debra Smith 200+
  - +1
  Jun 12 2012: YIKES!
  - dean crawford
    
    0
    Jun 12 2012: Good story to hear as young teen. On the up side did meet the great aunt several years later at a funeral. The point it was her bed they used.
    - Debra Smith 200+
      
      0
      
      Jun 13 2012: My Dearest Dean,It is no accident that you are here with us so stay and enjoy the cameraderie. Just no more YIKES stories please.

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