Power to the Typo!

Yesterday, someone I admire sent out a mass email with a mistake in the headline. Wondering why data literacy would make me invisible, and why my friend thought that sharing that info was a good thing, I opened it up.

Had there not been an error in the headline, I suspect I wouldn’t have been curious enough to open the email. I think I am already plenty data-literate, and it hasn’t made me anywhere near invincible. Just reading the intended headline, I would have immediately assumed that the article was about why I should study the subject, and nobody likes a lecture. And who’s got the time to read everything anyway, nowadays? But with the typo, I clicked. And got to read a valuable article.

My generous friend, however, was a little embarrassed. He’d made a mistake on something that went out to hundreds of people. And I realized that fear of making a mistake – fear of being thought wrong – has been stopping me from posting stuff that people might enjoy. 

And that’s weird, because I know that mistakes can be incredibly useful. Back when I was in college, a typo on the front page of my college newspaper led me to volunteer my services as a proofreader. For the low, low price of a little embarrassment, “President Awards Historic Metals” bought the then-editor free labor for the rest of the year, with the bonus of an enduring friendship with me (surely enhanced now by my bringing this up this story!)   

When I was a little kid, I’d sometimes accidentally wear a shirt inside-out. My grandmother’s voice came to mind recently when that happened again.  “Inside-out is good luck.” I used to think that was just something she said to make me feel better, but I’m beginning to take her advice more literally. There is a lot of luck in mistakes.

So to everyone who has made a mistake or a mistype, allowed an autocorrect to convolute your meaning, or just plain got something wrong – just know that it’s not terrible. Feel the hot flush of wrong on the back of your neck, but then realize that nobody cares as much as you do, that maybe something will work out better because of it, and move on.  Do like they teach kids today, and worry a little less about the spelling and a little more about the meaning. Remember that the Post-it note was famously created accidentally. Enjoy knowing the people you met because you were busy singing along to the Animaniacs soundtrack and dented the back of their car. Consider the pleasure your proofreading friend has finding a mistake. Love the boyfriend you met because you favorited him, thinking you were just storing his profile to look at later. Relish the flexible schedule of a consultant because you made a bum career move. Laugh at yourself thinking you've written something revelatory, and just now realizing that building on accidents is at the core of all of the 29 books you have on improvisation.

To the gift of the happy accident! Don’t get it right, get it written! Go typos!