Company Blog

Some people never learn. Some do.

by Adam Zack — May 18, 2021

“If we’re not making mistakes, we’re not learning.”

When I was a young driver in my 20’s I would always try and look ahead of the car in front of me when we were at a stop sign to anticipate when it was going to be my turn to go. The first time I hit another car was a light tap. I saw the opening into traffic, watched the car in front of me start to go, then started to go myself, bumping bumpers when the driver ahead didn’t actually go. It was a no-harm, no-foul situation. I apologized and we went on our way. A few years later, waiting behind another car in front of me to go and get on the highway, I looked ahead and saw the opening. The car in front of me started to go, and thinking that I had time to merge in too, floored it. Except the car ahead decided she didn’t have time to safely merge and BAM, I totally rear ended them, causing thousands of dollars of damage to both our cars. It was the last time I made that mistake. Now I focus squarely on the car in front of me, not even looking ahead, until they are gone. I even taught the lesson to my two daughters. One listened and remembered. I think about learning from my mistakes every time I drive now. I still make plenty of mistakes, but that one lesson has helped me not make the same mistake over and over. If we’re not making mistakes, we’re not learning and not stretching ourselves. And if we’re not learning, then mistakes become a habit, and not a good one.