Cut Material Archives - The Mistakes That Make Us

January 11, 2024

Movie Mistakes and Real-Life Lessons: Check the Assumptions

Some movie mistakes make us laugh. Others prompt a useful question about our own work: how did something so obvious in hindsight get missed at the time? I find that question more interesting than simply spotting who got it wrong. Spinal Tap’s Stonehenge: a small symbol, a big misunderstanding In… Read More "Movie Mistakes and Real-Life Lessons: Check the Assumptions"

by Mark Graban 1,954 Views Leave a comment

January 9, 2024

The Medill F: Does Fear Help Us Avoid Fact-Checking Mistakes?

Fact-checking matters even when we feel certain. J.A. Adande’s story about getting a name wrong raises two questions for me: how do we make verification part of the work, and does fear of punishment help people do it better? A confident writer can still get a name wrong J.A. Adande,… Read More "The Medill F: Does Fear Help Us Avoid Fact-Checking Mistakes?"

by Mark Graban 1,355 Views Leave a comment

January 4, 2024

Choosing a Podcast Name: What My Favorite Mistake Taught Me

Choosing a podcast name involves a tradeoff: a name can capture the idea well and still be difficult for a new listener to find. That was the concern I explored when I wrote this post in January 2024 about My Favorite Mistake. Creating the podcast wasn’t the mistake I was… Read More "Choosing a Podcast Name: What My Favorite Mistake Taught Me"

by Mark Graban 1,669 Views 2 Comments

January 3, 2024

Sheryl Crow’s “Leaving Las Vegas” Mistake: A Story of Resilience and Career Longevity

Sheryl Crow’s journey, much like the title of her 1998 hit song, reflects a profound truth about mistakes and their impact on personal and professional growth. While it’s not for me to label it her ‘favorite’ mistake, Crow’s experience during a 1994 appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman”… Read More "Sheryl Crow’s “Leaving Las Vegas” Mistake: A Story of Resilience and Career Longevity"

by Mark Graban 1,226 Views Leave a comment

December 28, 2023

Wright Brothers’ First Flights: How Mistakes Fueled Aviation’s Greatest Breakthrough

The Beginning of Flight: A Story of Perseverance and Progress When we think about success, we often overlook the essential role of failure in achieving it. This concept is vividly illustrated in the journey of the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur Wright, whose pioneering efforts in aviation were marked by… Read More "Wright Brothers’ First Flights: How Mistakes Fueled Aviation’s Greatest Breakthrough"

by Mark Graban 1,679 Views Leave a comment

December 13, 2023

How to Check Assumptions Before They Become Mistakes

Bad assumptions can turn a reasonable-looking decision into a mistake. The challenge is noticing what we are taking for granted before we commit more time, money, or trust to a plan. In my My Favorite Mistake conversations, guests often describe decisions that made sense to them at the time. Looking… Read More "How to Check Assumptions Before They Become Mistakes"

by Mark Graban 1,228 Views Leave a comment

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