From a beginner’s point of view, mistakes are necessary evil for development and growth. It is usually by mistake that you learn what really needs to be done and what’s the smartest way of doing it. Mistakes are learning opportunities in disguise and how you deal with it can either make or break you.
Here are some tips on dealing with mistakes from Schragis and Frishman’s 10 Clowns Don’t Make a Circus. I also added some of my own thoughts:
1. When you did a mistake, find the time to calm down, cool off and think it over.
In real life, this may not be easy to do. You got your deadline coming up and you’re left with so little time to correct your mistake or lessen it’s negative consequences. But always remember to take a breather and find time to clear your head. Go out of the office or have a water or coffee break. Use this time to think things over. Admit that you made a mistake, own up to it and then try to come up with solutions. Before you go back to your work, make sure you know exactly where the error lies. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What exactly did I do wrong?
- Is there anything that I could have done to prevent this mistake? If yes, then what is it?
- If there’s no way of seeing this mistake coming, what should I do to prevent this from happening again?
2. Ask your boss or coworkers for feedback. As Schragis and Frishman said, “Make it clear that you’re open to constructive criticism.”
It’s not only the quality of our outputs that matters, it’s also about how you work. Whether you work alone or with a team, how you interact and take criticisms say much about you as a professional. Getting feedback from your superiors can really be helpful. You can ask:
- What are the things that I need to improve on?
- What do you suggest I do to avoid the same mistake?
3. Don’t be sorry. Be better.
Owning up to your mistake is one thing, but moving on from that sad place is another. It’s okay to feel a little sorry but you got to remember that this mistake is trying to teach you something so that you can be better. Whenever you’re struck down, come back stronger, smarter than before. Never apologize for something that you can’t possibly know and be thankful for the opportunity to learn.
Remember that mistakes can be a great source of experience and wisdom. But too much of the same mistake says much about your ability to learn. Learn from your old mistakes and keep them from happening again. Go out there and do your thing, but see to it that you make a different mistake next time.
How about you, how do you deal with your mistakes? Please tell us about it on the comments below. Thanks for reading!
Featured Photo Credit: Behrooz Nobakht via photopin cc
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