Often when faced with a difficult task we make a set ofassumptions that dictate our actions. “I'm not good enough to getthat client.” Or “I can't go to that event, it's too big-time forme.” We can sabotage ourselves before we even begin, afraid offailure or embarrassment. To tackle hard problems and to reallystretch ourselves, sometimes we have to make a “deliberatemistake.”

I've been fascinated with deliberate mistakes since PaulSchoemaker and the late Robert Gunther introduced the idea in the HarvardBusiness Review in 2006. To repeat their definition:

“True deliberate mistakes are expected, on the basis of currentassumptions, to fail and not be worth the cost of the experiment….But if such a mistake unexpectedly succeeds… [it] createsopportunities for profitable learning.”

In other words: if we fail, we learn something. If we succeed,our long-shot risk actually paid off. By reframing tough tasks as“deliberate mistakes” we can help remove all of the pressure thatcan keep us frozen, all while learning something along the way.Read author John Caddell's complete 99u.com article for tips on how to effectively manage the process of making deliberatemistakes for career advancement.