Learn from My Mistakes

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Jammer

...........
Anyway the point I want to make is that everyone makes mistakes, including (especially) the people who fix cars/boats/whatever for a living. Unless you're really savvy you'll never know and they'll charge you for their mistakes and tell you some story about how the relays and the switch were both shot. Most of them, frankly, are not that good, and they are not compensated based on the accuracy of their diagnostic work. People behave the way they are compensated.

..........

Ain't that the truth and it's another reason I almost always fix my own stuff. If someone makes an error and it takes the long way to fix something, I want that someone to be me.

[Bruce K]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I've learned this adage the hard way....thru' countless avoidable mistakes...

"measure twice...cut once !!!

Think three times before you measure!!!! A cut after an incorrect measurement is also BAD!

[ozdigennaro]

Naturally, I have made all those mistakes too.


I try try try to remember "Do the stupid (easy) thing first! It might work."

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by ozdigennaro

... I try try try to remember "Do the stupid (easy) thing first! It might work."

Also remember:
Several days on the engine [or any device], can frequently save a couple of minutes, with the manual.



x

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Also remember:
Several days on the engine [or any device], can frequently save a couple of minutes, with the manual.

ROTFLMAO!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

'not being an electrician; I found it more important to check to make sure that it is NOT plugged in before I tinkered with anything!

Sattinger's Law:
"It works better if you plug it in."

Corollary:
It works better if you plug it in, THEN turn it on!

My signature lines is based upon:
Meskimen's Law: "There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over."

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I find the better I know a subject, the more likely I am to fall into the trap.
- If I've never dealt with a certain type of issue, I tend to stop and think it thru. Maybe look online for advice.
- If I've done it a hundred times, I just assume I know what I'm doing and jump to conclusions.

Experience is a wonderful thing.
It allows you to recognize a mistake each time you repeat it.

Utvich's Observation: "Education is the process of moving from cocksure ignorance, to thoughtful uncertainty."

[gbmacca]

If you learn from your mistakes -- then I must be the wisest man on earth!
GBmacca

[Paul Howard]

Originally Posted by GordMay

As an electrician, I always had to remember, to check:
"Is it plugged in?"

Yes, always start checking the simplest things first.
I recall sailing down the west coast, Neah Bay on the Olympic Penninsula to San Francisco (about 750nm), a couple days out, a lively sea, wind 25knots gusting 35knots from the northwest. Those of you that know this coast will know how 'lively' a sea can be in late fall, about 75 miles offshore.
About 3am the autopilot suddenly stopped working and our 39ft catamaran sheared wildly off a wave.
I hove to until dawn and then began checking things. Diving down to look at the autopilot computer, the rudder feedback unit, steering gear, etc.
Finally found the plug-in cable at the back of the control head had jiggled loose from the coffee mugs in the cupboard, where the back of the control head was located, bouncing against the cable had loosened the contact. It appeared plugged in, though was just loose enough that there was not full contact with all the pins.
I pushed in the cable plug to full contact, got underway again, the autopilot worked fine and took the cups from that cupboard.

[Oeanda]

Re the importance of the simple little things, there was a lesson that really stuck with me as a young feller, working on an 85 foot longliner south of Alaska. After a few weeks of prep we were underway and two hours out of Masset harbour. Planning a ten day trip with the season opening the next morning. That’s when we figured out that the new deckhand who’d done the shopping - had accidentally bought all decaf coffee! Skipper spun the wheel and around we turned to head back to town. A few million dollars worth of boat and a little shopping mistake was all it took to completely demolish our plans for the day.

[redneckrob]

I just want to comment on how refreshing it is to see this level self awareness and willingness to not only learn from one's mistakes but put them out there for all of us to learn from as well. Something I definitely aspire to, thanks for being a great example and a reminder to the rest of us!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by redneckrob

I just want to comment on how refreshing it is to see this level self awareness and willingness to not only learn from one's mistakes but put them out there for all of us to learn from as well. Something I definitely aspire to, thanks for being a great example and a reminder to the rest of us!

Well. Otto von Bismarck said:
"Nur ein Idiot glaubt, aus den eigenen Erfahrungen zu lernen. Ich ziehe es vor, aus den Erfahrungen anderer zu lernen, um von vornherein eigene Fehler zu vermeiden.“

More or less, "Only a fool believes, to learn from his own mistakes [experiences]. I prefer to learn from the mistakes [experiences] of others, in order to avoid my own mistakes from the beginning."


So I'm already a fool by Bismarck's definition, and over and over again. But perhaps someone else can achieve a better fate

[agnein]

Never forget KISS 😉