Are Mistakes the Key to Success?

Mistakes are the things I do most, whether it’s making an error on my math homework or forgetting to wash the dishes. However, the most mistakes in my life have been made in my sport, synchronized skating. As someone who grew up with increasingly high standards for herself and has often been hard on myself for imperfections, mistakes have been difficult to confront and deal with.

Throughout my skating career, some of my most prominent "mistakes" have included falling during competitions, forgetting to review new steps before practice, and not stretching after practice. These are all very normal and common mistakes, but each has helped me evolve as an athlete.

For example, falling during an international competition was emotionally devastating. It made me more nervous to compete in the free program the next day. However, despite being rattled, I made sure to give myself plenty of positive self-talk. What helped the most was visualizing my performance. I had learned that visualizing how I wanted to skate during a competition would help me perform my best and not be intimidated by the pressure.

Another mistake I made frequently as a beginner was not reviewing new steps before practice. While this still happens occasionally, especially when I get caught up with school and other commitments, I now make a strong effort to fit it into my schedule. When I forget to review new steps, I feel lost during practice and often receive more corrections than the rest of my team. These experiences have taught me that spending time outside of practice is essential for improvement. Since then, I’ve rearranged my schedule to include at least a half-hour per week for off-ice practice, focusing on timing. This has made me much more prepared and effective during team practice.

Lastly, a common mistake—one I’ve made far too often—is not stretching after practice. In my early years of synchronized skating, I never stretched after practice. I thought, "What's the point?" However, I later learned that stretching after practice has numerous benefits, including reducing soreness, preventing injuries, and helping the body cool down properly. I learned this from several conditioning coaches, but it wasn’t until I added stretching to my routine that I truly understood its importance. Now, after both team and individual practice, I stretch for about 10 minutes. I’ve noticed a decrease in soreness and an improvement in my flexibility.

Overall, mistakes are inevitable—and they should be embraced. After all, you always take something valuable from them, something that will help you grow and improve as an athlete and as a person.