Rules Of Journalism, Part II: Learn From Your Mistakes...

Previously, on Rules of Journalism (Rules of Journalism, Part I : Every Dog Has It's Day...) I had focused on being patient, waiting for your chance and how to deal with criticism.

Despite, my earlier frustration at having to write that piece all over again, I was overwhelmed by an unbelievable response which ultimately led to the article being selected as Bleacher Report's Pick of the Day, I'd like to thank everybody for that.

Welcome to the sequel, Rules of Journalism, Part II: Learn From Your Mistakes...

What is a mistake?

I'd like to think it's a human error which is perfectly natural, what do you think?

Is it inhuman to make mistakes? When you played ball with your old man for the first time, you could've made a mistake, maybe you just lost control and had one hit your old man right in the nose.

Did you mean to hit Dad in the face? No! Hell No! It was a mistake, you wanted him to catch it, he didn't! And it him in the face.

Fair enough, everybody makes mistakes but the point is, you've got to be careful so you don't repeat it all over again and that's the whole point (because if you do it again, somebody's in for a smacking).

Like I've pointed out before, Journalism and real-life experiences aren't too far apart.

It ain't right to sit there in regret; it's always better to admit your mistake; it takes courage, and it's not easy to swallow your pride. But hey! Somebody's got to do it.

If you say "hell, if I care" or "to hell with it", you're not going anywhere, are you?

Being a journalist, is like being at the centre of a traditional war (or maybe not), You never know when it's going to hit you but you've got to be ready.

This would take us back to being determined and committed in a bid to attain "TOTAL SATISFACTION" but it just shows how much you can improve by learning from your mistakes, if an editor tells you something, pay attention to it; it might just help you get to the "Next Level."

Like Amartney Armar suggested in my previous edition, "none of us are ever the finished article." It tells us there's always room for improvement.

If you need inspiration, you don't need to look too far away, just look within yourself. Like Dorothy Willis suggested, "My writing is like my fight with Multiple Sclerosis, I am not a victim, I am a survivor."

It depends on you, whether you look at the glass as half full or half empty. Sometimes the way you look at something or think about something can make one hell of a difference to you.

Well, that does it for the second edition of the Rules of Journalism; whether there is ever a third edition will depend on what kind of response this one receives.

I can tell myself again, for the second time in row, "I put my heart into this."