Turn Mistakes Into Opportunities

For those who have seen Dark Knight Rises, the movie starts Bruce Wayne as alone, outdated and broken (physically and spiritually).

Amongst all of the superheroes, we relate with him the most. Batman is not indestructible like Superman. He cannot sling web like Spider Man. In fact, in the beginning, Wayne walked with a cane because he had no joint cartilage.

“One of the great things about this character is that the least relatable thing about him is his billionaire status,” Bale says. “But the rest of it is understandable from an emotional perspective.”

Like us, Wayne is human. We undergo the same anguish from a lost love (Wayne lost Rachel Dawes) and will probably feel the same pains when punched in the face. He is vulnerable and makes mistakes. Unlike Wolverine who can physically heal, we connect with Batman in a different and more intimate level.

Aspiring For Perfection

In Batman Begins, Thomas Wayne told his son, “And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

There is no shame in mistakes. In fact, businesses should celebrate mishaps. All of this is part of being transparent.

The problem with perfection is that it is unknown. Therefore, perfection is an ideal never to be reached. To be perfect is to be imperfect.

Self-deprecation is a humbling trait. People trust authentic people. And authenticity stems from mistakes. It’s like taking comfort in an old shoe – warm and inviting.

Conversely, perfection and things all too shiny can be intimidating. It’s difficult to relate with people without faults … like trying to relate to Wolverine’s indestructible Adamantium steel. Unlikely.

Being open builds trust and loyalty. Turn mistakes into opportunities for feedback. Who doesn’t like a heroic story of triumph over adversity? Why do you think many people root for the underdog? There are countless movies with that theme.

So, share tidbits about your life that aren’t perfect. You’d be surprised who else might be experiencing the same adversity.

Celebrating imperfection,

Lawrence Chan

P.S. A lovely note from Kim Ortiz about my social media marketing book –

P.P.S. I am ashamed to admit that I drank Coke last month. It would have been wrong to eat a veggie dog and French fries without a bubbly beverage.

What’s something you did that you’re not proud of? Comment below :)

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