Learn From Your Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes. To err is human. Mistakes are an inevitable process of life. Unfortunate as they may be, mistakes can teach some very valuable lessons. I have acquired much of my cooking advice through mistakes, trial and error. You have to experiment and take some chances to find out what works and what doesn't. For example, I learned that when in doubt, use parchment paper to line your pans. Parchment paper is guaranteed not to stick to anything. Waxed paper or foil on the other hand, may stick to your squares and make them unnecessarily difficult to eat. Forgetting to set a timer may result in burnt baked goods. And all-purpose flour is not always a suitable substitution for tapioca. It doesn't thicken nearly as well. 
Some of the best things in baking have come from mistakes. Brownies are believed to be invented when a chef forgot to add a leavening agent to his chocolate cake. Also, many acceptable substitutions we use today came from trials. The use of sour cream in cake mixes to keep them moist most likely originated when someone was out of milk.

Other mistakes I have made? One time I halved a recipe for chocolate cake to make just one layer. It ended up overflowing out of the pan and onto the oven floor. When your cake starts to smell like burnt marshmallow, check it out. It's probably not a good sign! Don't halve candy recipes either, they don't set properly. Oh, and moist cakes don't tend to support themselves very well. That's how I ended up with my creation, "Caramel Chocolate Mudslide".

Typically, you should follow all of the instructions of a recipe as closely as possible, but know when to trust your own instincts. And don't be afraid to experiment a bit, that's how really great results are achieved! And listen to those many pieces of baking advice you have heard, most of them are right. Like frosting a warm cake? Don't do it. Peeking into the oven while a cake is baking? It will probably affect it's rising. 

Bottom line here: Mistakes will happen, especially in the kitchen. Accept them, admit them, and learn from them.