“To err is human” is a phrase that we all have heard at some point in our lives. It implies that making mistakes is an inevitable part of being human. However, is it necessary to make mistakes to learn and grow as human beings? Believe it or not, not making mistakes could be the worst mistake you ever make. George Bernard Shaw said, “A life spent making mistakes is better than a life spent doing nothing,” and this is largely true. Without mistakes, we don’t know the things we like doing, and we don’t learn how to improve. If most inventions and methods are improved through trial and error – not erring would mean rarely improving.

Here are ten reasons why not making mistakes could be the biggest mistake in life:

1. Making mistakes teach us valuable lessons.

Making mistakes, whether in relationships, work life, school, or other endeavors, is the key to figuring out the things we want to do and how we want to act. Only when we fail at these things can we see where we went wrong and take action to correct them. Did you hover over your girlfriend and act jealously until she felt smothered? Now you know that giving a loved one space is part of a healthy — and longer-lasting — relationship.

2. Mistakes teach us to be forgiving.

Recognizing your own mistakes makes it easier to understand others’ mistakes when they happen — especially if they have directly affected you. Did you lend someone your car, only to have them crash it? Have you ever crashed a car? Or broken something that belonged to someone else? You will likely be more apt to forgive the offender knowing from where they came.

3. Mistakes help us let go of our fears.

Some people are afraid to make mistakes. Or they are afraid to try things at which they won’t be good. When I first started mushing dogs, I was not good at it. My dogs tangled up. I fell off the sled at every turn. Frankly, I was a bruised up mess for a while. In fact, I was often a little afraid to go out on the sled, knowing what large tree or sharp turn I might encounter. But I kept getting back on the sled and learned to adjust my riding accordingly — becoming more athletic in the meantime. If I had let my constant mistakes and fear get the better of me, I might not be training for the Iditarod now.

4. Making mistakes is essential to living a life without regrets.

How can you discover the things you like and don’t like unless you make mistakes? At the end of your life, do you want to look back and see that you only made the “right” choices or wonder what might have been? If you hadn’t tried working in that restaurant, you might have gone your whole life thinking you could have been a great chef — and never known how much you actually would have hated it. Mistakes mean a life without regrets.

5. Mistakes help you grow as a person.

And boy do I have a lot of experience at this point! I’ve made lots of mistakes but it gives me a lot of perspective as well. If I hadn’t taken those turns or gone down those paths — even when they quickly became obvious they were the wrong ones — I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I also would not appreciate my life as much as I do. The more mistakes you make, the more you grow as a person.

6. Mistakes can be fun.

OK, maybe it’s not the right kind of fun. And maybe we shouldn’t have done that thing we did. But at least at the end of your years, you won’t have lived the same exact year every year. Mixing it up is a mistake in and of itself.

7. Mistakes lead to success.

Most people who are an “overnight success” took years to get where they are. Do you have a goal in mind? A business you want to pursue or a race you want to win? Go look up those people in your field that you admire and find out how long and hard they worked to get where they are.

8. Mistakes inspire us.

Did you break it? Do it wrong? Make it the wrong way? Screw it up? Whatever “it” is, it’s likely that if you broke it, you’ll have to fix it. Or if you did it wrong, you’ll have to do it again. The more often you have to try something or do something new, the more inspired you get to fix it and do it right.

9. Mistakes serve as a warning.

Different mistakes can mean different things, and mistakes where we put our selfish desires before our responsibilities can mean trouble — but they can also serve as a warning. Heed those warnings and try to avoid making them again so you can move forward and succeed in your journey.

10. Mistakes allow us to see how we are like others.

Let’s be honest; we all think we’re pretty special. Anything we do or any mistake we make often makes us feel like we are the only one to experience it in the way we do. Unfortunately, that’s entirely untrue. With 7 billion people on the planet, the likelihood that we are the first to make a certain mistake, or the first to feel a certain way, is really unlikely. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not special. We are special to certain people in our lives and can still enjoy many moments that are special to us. The greatest advantage to making mistakes is learning that we are just like other people. This gives us more empathy for others — no matter how different from us they are.

In conclusion, “To err is human” does not solely imply that making mistakes is inevitable but also that it is essential to growth and success in life. Mistakes are valuable lessons that teach us, help us grow, and make us better human beings. Without mistakes, we will never be able to fully realize our potential and discover the things we love doing. We should not be afraid to make mistakes but rather embrace them, learn from them, and allow them to inspire us to achieve our goals. Mistakes are fundamental not only to living a life without regrets but also to living a fulfilling and successful life.