Those of you who read here regularly know of my boneheaded mistake last week – I wrote a fabulous article only to find out I’d written the wrong one. This week is redemption time. I spent the better part of yesterday searching for a home for the mistake, and I may have landed on one that, with a little revision, may score a higher rate than the first magazine was paying. Time will tell.
What’s interesting is the second article I wrote in order to give them what they wanted in the first place may also serve as a source of more articles. There’s this expert I interviewed – fascinating person with a seriously quirky job – whom the editors had serious doubts about (mention someone who devotes a career to studying banned substances and people can get so puritanical!). The thought occurred to me as I was interviewing him that his story in itself was a unique one. So now we’re shopping around two ideas thanks to one mistake on my part.
My mother-in-law believes something that I believe either Jung or Freud said – that coincidence must be looked at much more seriously, for coincidence itself is opportunity. I’m paraphrasing rather freely, but the idea is that coincidence itself is not what it seems. But it’s a great lesson no matter how you phrase it – coincidence holds opportunity.
Have you had instances where you’ve made mistakes that actually turned into profitable ones? If not, what have mistakes taught you?
I’ll have a cup of that serendipitous lemonade, please. 😉 Great thoughts, as always.
My mistakes have mostly been the ones involving not getting a contract signed before accepting work. Nuff said.
Ouch. Yea, those hurt!