Only Trust People Who Make Mistakes

Sometimes when I get feedback from reality showing that I have made a mistake, I will double-down with more time, money, and energy trying to prove that I was right in the first place. That silly move is like choosing to spend the rent money on new shoes, then buying a lottery ticket hoping it will bail you out from looking irresponsible.

Occasionally, such are the actions of a brilliant entrepreneur who eventually proves through grit that he was right all along. Usually, to quote Dr. House, "It's much simpler than that. It's just plain wrong."

The shame of getting something wrong is trivial; it is so normal, so human, so utterly forgivable, particularly when trying new and difficult things. In contrast, the shame of denying your mistakes, of denying reality, is not trivial at all.

You can trust someone who makes mistakes, but you cannot trust someone who denies them.