I usually blog about arthritis pain, arthritis aids, diet, and exercise. However, I wanted to write something inspiring today.
I have certainly made more than my share of mistakes. It’s embarrassing, you feel like you’re the only one who can’t get it right, and everyone else seems to be gliding along effortlessly while you twist in the wind.
There are always people who will laugh at your misfortune and try to make you look and feel bad. The truth is that you’re moving forward and changing your life, while they remain stuck and don’t know how to get out of their own way.
I made a big mistake in the winter of 1995. I was starting a new job at a large insurance company and had a pretty easy commute on the bus. On my first day, it was storming outside, and my umbrella threatened to blow away.
Oops, I’m in the Wrong Place
My saving grace was that I didn’t have far to go and was a little early, so I decided to duck into a coffee shop for a hot chocolate. It felt so good to sit down, but suddenly, I knew something was not right. I was close to an agent’s office, rather than the regional office, which was nine blocks away!
Should I Keep Walking or Go Home?
I wished the earth would swallow me up, but there was nothing else to do but start walking, and it wasn’t long before I was drenched.
As I neared my destination, part of me just wanted to go home, forget the whole thing, and wait for a new job opportunity to come along. Who wants to go to a new job looking like a drowned rat?
I had come this far, so I straightened myself up the best way I could and entered the lobby. When I walked in, the receptionist did a double-take but called my supervisor to let him know I had arrived.
Here is how you can turn mistakes into life lessons:
Don’t Play the Blame Game
It can be humiliating to make mistakes, but avoid making excuses or blaming others; instead, be honest about your actions. Take responsibility for your part. If you have hurt others, apologize and let them know you plan to do whatever you can to improve the situation.
Determine Why You Made Mistakes
When it comes to mistakes, numerous factors contribute to the eventual outcome. You need to investigate what happened, identify where things went wrong, and what you will do in future efforts.
What would you do differently if you could go back in time? And now that you are here, what will you change moving forward? Consider the things within your control and those that are not. How can you mitigate those uncontrollable forces?
View Mistakes as Learning Opportunities
I used to get so annoyed when someone would tell me to view my mistakes as learning opportunities. I just wanted to forget about them and hope no one else noticed what I did. Now, I see that they were right, and mistakes are not something to be ashamed of.
Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal says, “When you make a mistake or receive critical feedback, don’t panic. Think of it as an opportunity for learning, and remember that the process of ‘failing’–when you’re willing to pay attention–often leads to the greatest successes.”
If you view mistakes in a negative light, then you’ll have an adverse reaction. The more you can see the positives in your mistakes, the better off you will be when it comes to finding a solution for them.
Take Action
Now that you have acknowledged your mistakes, please take action to correct them. Make a plan and follow through. Do whatever you can to resolve the problem, but don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.
Summary
I didn’t finish my story about my first day at the new job. I apologized to the supervisor for how I looked and had to remove my shoes and let them dry out until lunch.
What was supposed to be a two-week temporary job turned into a nine-year commitment. I often wonder what would have happened if I had just gone home and waited for the next opportunity.
You are not living a whole life if you are not making mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the more progress you will make, so get out there and make your dreams come true.
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