The African proverb "Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped" teaches us an important lesson about the nature of failure and the value of reflection. It encourages us not to dwell on the immediate consequences of our mistakes, but to examine the root cause, the place where the problem originated. Instead of focusing solely on the fall— the point of failure—we should look back at the beginning, where we first went off track, in order to learn and grow from the experience.
Take the example of Tinashe, a young entrepreneur who launched a small business. Initially, her business thrived, but after a few months, it faced financial difficulties, eventually leading to its closure. At first, Tinashe was preoccupied with the failure itself, wondering what went wrong when the business finally collapsed.
However, upon deeper reflection, she realized that the real issue had started much earlier—when she had ignored advice about budgeting and had signed unfavorable contracts with suppliers. The place she “fell” was the closure of her business, but the place she “slipped” was when she neglected to manage her finances effectively. By looking back at the earlier missteps, Tinashe could see the true cause of her failure.
From this proverb, we learn the importance of self-awareness and accountability. It encourages us to avoid becoming fixated on the visible outcome of a problem, and instead, explore the choices or actions that led to it. This mindset shifts our focus from self-pity to personal growth, teaching us to take responsibility for our decisions.
It
also instills a forward-looking attitude, where we are better equipped to avoid
repeating the same mistakes in the future. Ultimately, the proverb reminds us
that wisdom comes not from lamenting over where we fell but from understanding
where we slipped.
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