How to overcome your mistakes

Translator: Serene Cheung Reviewer: Aubrey Cheng

In a 2019 study, over 400 participants were enlisted to learn

喺2019年嘅一項研究入面， 有超過400名參與者被招募學習

a mysterious, invented language.

一套神秘嘅虛構語言

Individuals were asked about three pairs of runes—

每位參與者都會被問到三組符文

for example, which of these two characters represents an animal?

例如邊兩個字代表一種動物？

Then, after a brief break,

然後，經過短暫嘅休息之後

they were asked about the same rune pairs with questions flipped,

佢哋會再次被問到同一組符文， 但問嘅問題就相反

as in, which of these two runes represents a non-living object?

例如邊兩個字代表一種死物？

But this game had a secret—

但係呢個遊戲有一個秘密

The subjects’ answers in round one

參與者喺第一輪嘅答案

determined the runes’ meanings in round two.

會決定第二輪符文嘅意思

In the first round,

喺第一輪測試

participants either had all their answers marked as correct no matter what,

無論參與者答咩， 有部分人會被標示為答啱哂所有問題

or they were forced to fail every question.

有啲人就會被標記為答錯哂所有問題

This meant that at the break,

意味住喺休息期間

every participant had the same amount of information,

每一位參與者都會有相同嘅資訊

and in round two they were playing for real.

而喺第二輪就會正式開始比賽

But despite this even playing field,

但即使係喺平等嘅競爭環境下

the successful participants from round one rose to the top of the ranks,

第一輪答啱嘅參與者排名都比較優先

while those cast as failures kept, well, failing.

而喺第一輪答錯嘅參與者就... 一直落後

People often describe failure as a teachable moment—

我哋通常都會話失敗 為我哋提供學習嘅機會

a necessary stumble on our way to improvement.

係進步嘅過程之中一個必要嘅絆腳石

But learning from our mistakes isn't always easy,

但從錯誤中學習並唔係咁容易

especially when those failures are demoralizing, overwhelming,

尤其係當呢啲失敗令人沮喪、難以承受

or just downright confusing.

或者係完全令人困惑嘅時候

So what exactly prevents us from turning our mistakes into mastery?

所以到底係乜嘢阻止我哋 將錯誤轉化爲優勢呢？

Perhaps the most obvious hurdle to learning from failure

或者最明顯嘅障礙就係

is how painful it can be.

失敗帶嚟嘅痛苦

People generally want to think of themselves as capable and competent,

人一般都希望自己係有能力同有才幹嘅人

and experiencing failure threatens that self-image.

而失敗嘅經歷會威脅到呢種自我形象

In a survey following a replication of the rune study,

喺一項複製符文實驗嘅調查入面

participants in the failure group indicated much lower levels

失敗組嘅參與者表示喺參與研究之後

of self-confidence after participating.

自信心明顯下降

It’s tempting to dismiss this pain as a temporary setback.

我哋好容易忘記呢種痛苦只係暫時嘅挫折

But some studies have found that when people feel demoralized or incompetent,

但係有研究發現， 當人感到沮喪或者無能嘅時候

their brains often stop processing new information.

大腦會停止處理新嘅資訊

This suggests that if a threat to your self-esteem is large enough,

表明如果失敗對自尊構成嘅威脅夠大

it can undermine your ability to learn.

就會削弱你嘅學習能力

However, your tolerance for failure also depends on your relationship

但係，你對失敗嘅容忍度亦取決於

with the task at hand.

你同嗰項任務嘅關係

In a study from 2011, researchers surveyed a group of American students

喺 2011 年嘅一項研究入面， 研究人員調查一班美國學生

enrolled in introductory and advanced French courses.

佢哋分別報讀初級同高級法文課程

These students completed a questionnaire

呢班學生完成左一份問卷

asking what kind of teacher they preferred—

詢問佢哋比較鍾意邊一種老師

one who emphasized their strengths and successes,

強調佢哋嘅優點同做得好嘅老師

or one who highlighted their mistakes and corrected their weaknesses.

定係強調佢哋錯誤並糾正佢哋弱點嘅老師

In general, responses showed that while beginner students

整體嚟講， 調查結果顯示

sought positive reinforcement,

初級學生希望得到正面嘅鼓勵

advanced students were more eager for critical feedback.

高級程度嘅學生比較希望得到建設性意見

Researchers have theorized a handful of explanations for these results.

研究人員對結果提出咗幾個解釋

Having just started out, beginners are still determining

初學者喺啱啱開始嘅時候

仲確定緊自己係咪鍾意學法文， 同埋想唔想繼續學

if they enjoy learning French and if they want to continue studying,

so they might crave praise as a way to stay motivated.

所以佢哋希望得到稱讚嚟維持學習動力

On the other hand, the advanced students are already invested,

另一方面，高級學生已經投入學習

so they may want to improve their skills as efficiently as possible.

所以佢哋會想盡可能用最有效嘅方法 提高自己嘅技能

The process of gaining expertise also comes with its fair share of failure,

喺積累知識嘅過程之中 會伴隨住相當多嘅失敗

so the advanced students may have built a higher tolerance for making mistakes.

所以資深嘅學生可能對犯錯有較高容忍度

But whether you're an expert or a novice,

但無輪你喺專家抑或喺新手

it’s usually much more straightforward to learn from your successes

通常從成功之中學習比起從失敗中學習

than your failures.

更加簡單直接

For example, imagine getting your grade back on an exam.

譬如，想像一下當你收到考試成績

If you aced it, you could reasonably assume you made good choices

如果考得好，你會合理地假設你喺

幾時溫習、溫習啲咩 同溫幾多內容上做啱咗選擇

around when, what, and how much to study,

and you can replicate those decisions for the next test.

之後你可以喺下一次考試重複同樣選擇

But if you failed, it could be for any number of reasons.

但係如果考得差，咁就可能有好多原因

Maybe you didn’t study enough,

可能你溫得唔夠

maybe you studied the wrong information, or maybe you did everything right

可能你溫錯咗內容，或者其實你做啱曬

and the test covered things you shouldn't have been expected to know.

只係考試題目超出你識嘅範圍

In cases like this, it’s unclear exactly what went wrong,

喺噉嘅情況下，好難知道喺邊到出錯

making it difficult to learn how to improve.

繼而令到學習點樣改進變得困難

Wanting to learn from our failures is completely natural,

想從錯誤中學習係正常嘅

and there’s a lot to gain by being resilient

保持韌性亦會令你獲益良多

and cultivating a growth mindset.

幫助你培養成長型思維

But fixating on your failures can make it easy to forget all your successes.

之但係過度專注係你嘅錯誤 可能會令你忽略你嘅成功

And building on what you’re doing right can be more effective

喺現有嘅成功基礎上進一步發展

than focusing on what you did wrong.

可能比專注於錯誤更加有效