This shirt recently popped up in my Facebook feed.  And I love it!

Everybody makes mistakes.  And every single mistake is proof positive that you are putting forth effort.  You are taking risks.  And from great risks come great rewards.  And sometimes great disappointments.  But if you never take the risks, you are guaranteed not to achieve the rewards.

There are a lot of risks involved with money.  And you always hope they lead to reward.  Should I borrow money to buy a house?  Should I buy a used car instead of a new one?  Should I buy stock?  How much should I put into my 401K plan? Can I take the lower paying job that I’ll enjoy instead of the higher paying job that I’ll hate?  Will the store brand product work as well as the name brand?  If I join the warehouse club, will I get my money’s worth?  Should I buy the extended warranty?  If I go to law school will I get a great job?

Every time you spend money, there is some level of risk involved.  You can’t predict anything with certainty.  And you will make mistakes.  It’s inevitable.  But mistakes, while they may feel bad at the time, teach us things. And mistakes are proof that you are trying.  The person who never tries never makes mistakes.  But they also never move forward or learn or grow.

Mistakes are proof that you are trying.  So keep making mistakes.  Keep trying!