Looking back, creating the “My Favorite Mistake” podcast wasn’t a mistake.

The name was fitting and pithy. But now, I think it was probably a mistake.

We can sometimes predict that a possible decision will be a mistake, but we could be wrong. Most times, a mistake doesn’t reveal itself until we are down the path we’ve chosen. And we choose that path thinking it’s not a mistake — we think it’s a good decision or we wouldn’t make it. It’s the best decision we could make at the time based on our experience and the information that we have at the moment.

Why would I choose a different name if I could go back in time and start it again? 

The podcast name is a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) nightmare.

Try searching for “My Favorite Mistake” in an app with music and podcasts, like Spotify. You’ll get umpteen versions of Crow’s hit song. And then, if you scroll way down, you’ll find my podcast. 

Perhaps a name like “My Favorite Business Mistake” would have been more unique. And it turns out searching for that phrase does put my podcast at the top of the list, as does another name I could have used, “Our Favorite Mistakes.” But that assumes people would be searching for those phrases, which means they have to know the podcast’s name already. 

Maybe I’m making the mistake of being too hard on myself. If you search for the phrase “business mistakes,” my podcast is one of the top results. It’s the same when you search the phrases “learning from mistakes” or “culture of mistakes.” Maybe the podcast name wasn’t a mistake.

I agonized quite a bit about the title of this book. I feared repeating the SEO mistake by calling the book “My Favorite Mistake.” Since the book is a collection of stories, the word “my” doesn’t quite describe it.

I tried mitigating some of the risks of having a “bad” title (that’s subjective) or a “wrong” title (also subjective) by surveying people about possible titles. I’ve made my best prediction about a title that best represents the book’s content while also attracting a bigger audience than I might get from other titles.

The naming of my podcast exemplifies a key lesson from “The Mistakes That Make Us“: our decisions are shaped by the best information and intentions we have at the time. Even when these decisions lead to unforeseen challenges, they open doors to learning and growth.

This experience not only informed the naming process of my book but also reinforced the importance of embracing and learning from our mistakes, no matter how unexpected they may be.

In retrospect, the name “My Favorite Mistake” has been both a challenge and a teacher. It’s a reminder that the path of learning and innovation is often unpredictable, but always rewarding. As I continue to share stories of mistakes and the wisdom they bring, I’m reminded that sometimes, what seems like a misstep can lead us to greater understanding and success.