I recently made a very visible mistake while working on a client project. My first thought when I realized my misstep was “Oh sh*t.” The next thing to cross my mind was, “what do I do now?”
We all make mistakes – at work, at home, in our relationships – it’s part of being human. No matter how wonderful you are, how keen your attention to detail, or how many years of experience you bring to the table, you will make mistakes.
Mistakes are inevitable, but the way we deal with our mistakes can have a huge impact on our productivity, our well-being, and our quality of life. When we are afraid of making mistakes, we can limit ourselves. If we don’t acknowledge our mistakes, we don’t learn from them. If we ruminate on the mistakes we’ve made, we get stuck in negative patterns of thinking that will hold us back.
Follow this simple model to make the most of your missteps.
Own Your Mistakes
One of the best things you can do when you make a mistake is to raise your hand and take responsibility. When we take responsibility for the things we do wrong, it builds trust. Our colleagues, supervisors and customers see that we a) are self-aware, b) hold ourselves accountable, and c) have integrity.
While it doesn’t feel good to screw up or be reprimanded (which may very well happen), it does feel good to know that you are building goodwill with those around you by owning up to your misstep.
Course Correct
Admitting you made a mistake is great, but it won’t mean much if you aren’t taking action to correct it. Identify where you went wrong. Were you working too fast to get things done? Did you miss a key piece of information? Was there a misunderstanding? Did you react without thinking something through? Make a miscalculation? Whatever it was, figure out the root of the issue.
Next, figure out a) how to remedy THIS situation, and b) how to avoid this mistake in the future. Mistakes are excellent learning opportunities, so take advantage!
Move On
Once you’ve taken responsibility and taken steps to remedy your mistake, you need to forgive yourself and move on. This is probably the most difficult step of all (especially for all you perfectionists out there), but it may be the most important.
Ruminating – focusing attention and running over negative events or feelings in your mind – is a major risk factor for depression and anxiety. In addition, dwelling on your mistake isn’t going to make it go away. In fact, focusing on this past mistake can make you more susceptible to future mistakes because you are preoccupied.
When my mind keeps going back to a mistake, I use this mantra to bring me back to the present:
I screwed up. I’m only human. I’ve taken steps to fix it. Now it’s time to focus on doing my best moving forward.
If I’m really struggling to let go of a negative reaction to a mistake, I’ll try some stretches and grounded breathing, or go for a walk.
You’ve got lots of important to work to do! Stop worrying about what you’ve done wrong and try to focus on bringing your best self to the next task at hand.