87 - Sometimes The Mistakes Are What Make A Work Great
Discover why mistakes can be the secret ingredient to greatness in this 60-second podcast. Learn how imperfection breeds innovation, creativity, and authenticity in your work.
Sometimes The Mistakes Are What Make A Work Great
Creativity isn't about flawless execution. It's about finding meaning in the unexpected. In this episode of Pattern Cognition, we explore one of the most profound insights from Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act: sometimes, mistakes make a work great.
Rubin emphasizes that humanity breeds mistakes, a powerful reminder that flaws aren't just part of the process; they can become the product itself. This short but potent reflection invites us to reconsider how we relate to imperfection in our work and lives.
To illustrate the point, the episode shares the origin story of the Post-it Note, a now-ubiquitous invention born from a failed attempt to create a strong adhesive. In 1968, scientist Spencer Silver accidentally developed a weak, reusable glue. Years later, his colleague Art Fry applied it to a personal problem, keeping his bookmarks from falling out of a church hymnal. That “mistake” became the foundation of one of 3M’s most successful products.
Main Takeaways:
Imperfection as Identity: Sometimes, the very thing you’re trying to fix is what gives your work its voice.
Innovation Through Failure: Many great inventions and ideas were discovered through what seemed like failures at the time.
Creative Freedom: Letting go of perfection allows for experimentation, which opens doors to unique outcomes.
The Power of Perspective: A “mistake” in one context might be a breakthrough in another.
Embracing the Human Element: Our flaws connect us. They bring an authenticity that resonates more deeply than polished perfection.
This episode invites you to embrace the beautiful mess of the creative process, whether you're building businesses, writing music, launching a project, or just living your story. Perfection is overrated. Progress, expression, and authenticity are what genuinely move people.
Take 60 seconds and see mistakes through a different lens. It is the edge your work needs.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to Rick Rubin's Creative Wisdom
00:06 Embracing Mistakes in Creativity
00:28 The Story Behind Post-Its
Links:
Website: https://www.sidmofya.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidmofya/
Transcript:
Here are five of my favorite quotes from Rick Rubin's book The Creative Act. Sometimes the mistakes are what make a work great. Humanity breeds in mistakes. I love this 'cause it, it emphasizes the value of imperfection, suggesting that flaws can add authenticity and depth to creative work, and then sometimes the flaws and the mistakes can become the product itself.
I. You might know the story of Post-Its in 1968, Spencer Silva was trying to create a super strong adhesive. Instead, he accidentally created a weak, reusable glue and that glue could stick to surfaces, but also be easily removed. And that became what we know today as Post-Its. Um, and it wasn't until 1974 that Art fry another 3M scientists frustrated because bookmarks in his church hymnal kept falling out.
Um, remembered silver's weak [00:01:00] adhesive, and realized he could, that, that it could be used to make a stick sticky, removable note. And that's how Post-it notes were born.