A LETTER FROM CHRIS SUAREZ

GO MAKE A MISTAKE

This week I have been thinking a lot about mistakes. Perhaps because I live a life and run a business with people that are comfortable enough to point mine out. Perhaps because I stay constantly aware of the immediate and long term consequences of the mistakes that I make. Perhaps because as a recovering perfectionist those mistakes can cause me to slip into frustration. In the end though, the result of all the mistakes that I have made ultimately leads me to the place that I am at right now and the path that I am looking ahead at right now. Do I wish I had not made some of them? Yes, definitely. Would I be a slightly different person if I had not made them? Yes, definitely. So who is to say what the best path is? In the end, the mistake was made because I took action. Action is always good. It is not always right, but it is always good. 

Mistakes based on taking action are referred to as “mistakes of commission.” We take action. It was the wrong action. There may be a negative result or effect of that action. But in the end, it was based on us being willing to do something. Conversely the other type of mistakes are “mistakes of omission.” We don’t take action. We avoid doing something that could be right or wrong. We don’t swing the bat.

I remember back as a teenager being up to bat in a competitive baseball game. The score was tied. There was a runner on third base. I was up and there were two outs. I needed just a base hit to have the runner score and give my team the lead. Their pitcher had been throwing strikes all day, and fairly quickly he threw two quick pitches that I watched go by that were called strikes. Just a couple of pitches later, he threw a fastball inside that was too close for me to watch and hope that it was a ball.  So I swung.  I swung and gave it my best shot at connecting for a base hit to put my team ahead.  Well, this story doesn’t end with me knocking in the winning run. It ends with me swinging, missing, striking out, and stranding the running on third base. But here is what I know, even though to this day I remember that mistake, it was a mistake of commission - taking action and not winning. Just watching it cross home plate and being called out on strikes would have been a mistake of omission - not taking action. In life, I’ve always believed I would much rather swing and miss, then be called out on strikes.

It’s a commitment to make sure the mistakes we make are based on action, and not lack of action. Don’t get me wrong, a mistake is a mistake and I still believe we can learn a lesson from either type. However, mistakes of commission in most cases won’t destroy a business. When we jump into action before knowing exactly what to do, the consequences will teach us to adjust and iterate and make needed changes. Mistakes of omission however have the potential to really break down a business. Not doing what needs to be done, not saying what needs to be said, not driving what needs to be driven will ultimately cause complacency in a business. Especially in the real estate industry, I would bet on an agent that makes mistakes of commission over agents that make mistakes of omission all day long. 

This framework applies to all areas of our life. Relationships break down based on mistakes of omission more often than mistakes of commission. We all need to practice patience and forgiveness, as we will all make mistakes, mess up, do things that hurt one another. But if we are unwilling to communicate, avoid the hard conversations, and not make the effort to do something kind…well, you can see where that will go. Our relationships are built on working through mistakes of commission, and crumble slowly and then suddenly on mistakes of omission.  

Your business hinges upon your willingness to take action. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be embarrassed. Mistakes can be fixed and corrected. Commit to action and avoid omission. Go make some mistakes. 

Chris Suarez