The more I coach, the more I believe that mistakes hold the key to your destiny.

Mistakes represent a fork in the road. At this fork, you decide whether to be frustrated or fascinated. You decide whether you will lose or learn. You decide whether you will quit or grow.

A blog from the Positive Coaching Alliance offers a blueprint for helping athletes deal with mistakes. Among the many good points is this crucial one: If we do not help our athletes deal constructively with mistakes, then they will play a game designed to AVOID mistakes.

A team that makes no mistakes is a team that is locked in a small comfort zone. It will not take risks, and without risks it cannot grow.