What Milk Have You Spilled

One of our favorite stories is about a famous research scientist who
had made several very important medical breakthroughs.

He was being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked
him why he thought he was able to succeed so much more than
the average person, to be so much more creative than the average
person? In other words, what set him so far apart from others?

He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from a lesson his
mother taught him when he was two years old. He’d been trying to
take a bottle of milk out of the refrigerator, when he lost his grip and
spilled the entire contents on the kitchen floor. His mother, instead
of scolding him, said, “What a wonderful mess you’ve made! I’ve
rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage is already
done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk before we
clean it up?”

Indeed, he did. And, after a few minutes, his mother continued,
“You know, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have
to clean it up. So, how would you like to do that? We could use a
towel, sponge or mop. Which do you prefer?”

After they were finished cleaning up the milk, she said, “What we
have here is a failed experiment in how to carry a big bottle of milk
with two tiny hands. Let’s go out in the backyard, fill the bottle with
water and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping
it.” And they did.

What a wonderful lesson!

The scientist then remarked it was at that moment he knew he
didn’t have to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that
mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new — which
after all, is what scientific experiments are all about.

That bottle of spilled milk led to a lifetime of learning experiences
— experiences that were the building blocks of a lifetime of world renowned
successes and medical breakthroughs!

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Suzan