The first attempt at a new skill may be clumsy, slow, or different from what we expected. If we immediately interpret it as evidence of incompetence, we can give up before we understand what to practice in the first place.
A useful response to an error is concrete. Which step failed, what do we still not understand and how can we make the next attempt simpler? Such questions provide direction that self-criticism often lacks.
However, the exercise should be appropriate for the risk. In work that can cause harm, supervision and safe conditions for learning are needed. Accepting a beginner's mistake means making room for progress, with responsibility towards the people our work affects.
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