Why Your Mistakes Are Your Superpower.

Listen up. You think the G.O.A.T.s the Einsteins, the Carlsens never mess up? Wrong. They make huge blunders. But they don't stop. They learn.

Your problem? You treat a mistake like a final fail mark, because that’s what school taught you. We gotta break that link.

The Tale of Shiva and Rathish (That’s Me!)

I had a friend, Shiva, at chess school. Super creative, super fearless. I’m Rathish.

One tournament, Shiva played this crazy, risky move in an opening, giving away a pawn for an idea. He lost.

We went to his coach, a guy I’ll call “The Critic” (so he doesn’t see this reel, obviously). The Critic LOST IT. Yelling, screaming: “Why didn’t you play the safe move I showed you?! You’re throwing points!” Zero analysis. Just anger.

I asked Shiva why he did it. He looked me dead in the eye and said: “Rathish, even if it’s a mistake, I’ll learn something from it. Why be afraid to try?”

The next day, I tried the same risky move. I lost, too.

My Coach: The Real MVP

We went to my coach let’s call him “The Wise Man.” He looked at the board, smiled, and asked, “Did you get compensation?”

“No, Coach,” I admitted.

He took a pause, and then dropped the ultimate mic-drop line: Well, Rathish, it’s good that you’re not afraid of making mistakes. Very good!

He analyzed the game, showed me where the real error was, and said: Do whatever you think is best. Don’t worry about the results.

💀 The Tragic End vs. The Level Up

Guess what? After being constantly yelled at by The Critic, my fearless friend Shiva quit chess. He lost his passion.

But I kept playing. I kept trying new, risky things.

Now, look at the two friends who tried a new opening (1.e4):

Friend A quit after losing 50 points. He hated making mistakes. He has the same rating today. Zero growth.

Friend B (the one who embraced the mistake) used them as fuel. He fixed his errors and gained 150 points in a few months.

The Lesson is Simple:

If you are not making mistakes, you are not growing. Your mistake is just proof that you are TRYING.

Stop running from failure. Start stepping on it.

Ready to Level Up Your Chess?

Coach Rathish offers personalized chess coaching for all levels—kids, teens, and adults. 15+ years of experience, proven student success, and a passion for the game.