Managing a Great Mistake–Exercises and Tools

Champions keep playing until they get it right. – Billie Jean King, Wimbledon tennis champ

What is your attitude toward taking risks? Afraid of making a mistake, or not having your mistakes tolerated by others? Taking risks results in living on the edge, breaking new ground, hopping out of the box, and yes, making mistakes. Feel free to take risks by learning how to manage your mistakes, here:

1. How can you develop a scientific mind-set toward mistakes, to see them as “stepping-stones to success” rather than things to avoid or be ashamed of? Think about this question and then write your answer in a journal.

2. Make a list of three of your “best mistakes” in your journal. What are three things that went wrong, that you regretted doing or not doing, or that didn’t turn out the way you wanted them to?

3. What did you learn from those mistakes? How are you actually better off now because of the valuable lessons you learned?

4. Finish the sentence: “From now on when I make a mistake, I’m going to ______.”

5. There is an important rule for this exercise: you must promise yourself that you will not get depressed over your mistakes and wallow in sorrow. Look at your mistakes for clues and insights that will allow you to move forward, not backward.

6. Make the topic of your next talk with friends “The Best Mistakes We’ve Made.” Acknowledge your top three mistakes in life and describe what you learned from each mistake. Be sure to have your journal with you so you can record important insights.

Read more: Spirit, Exercises, Guidance, Self-Help, , mistakes, risks

Adapted from This Life is Not the One I Ordered, by Deborah Collins Stephens, et al (Conari Press, 2007). Copyright (c) 2007 by Deborah Collins Stevens. Reprinted by permission of Conari Press.
Adapted from This Life is Not the One I Ordered, by Deborah Collins Stephens, et al (Conari Press, 2007).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Danuta W.

12:29AM PDT on Mar 16, 2012

Thanks for posting.

send a green star

J.L. A.

9:58AM PST on Feb 13, 2012

Some say mistakes and failures are essentials for success. No mistakes can often mean no risks and no progress.

Bee S.

10:17AM PST on Feb 12, 2012

Thanks; saved it -trying to.... learn with or without mistakes.

Ida J.

2:50AM PDT on Oct 12, 2011

thanks

Tim C.

11:06AM PDT on Oct 10, 2011

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/wisdom-in-action/
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/41/take-action-care2-members-visitors/
Thanks

Jennifer C.

12:29AM PDT on Sep 30, 2011

Thanks for the article.

Prochi T.

11:35AM PDT on Aug 8, 2011

We all make mistakes at some time, true, but do we always learn from our mistakes ??

8:34PM PDT on Jun 12, 2011

It's nice to remember, we're just learning.

When a child learns to roller skate he falls down many times.

Those who care, help him back up and encourage him to keep trying. Learning is fun but we also realize lots of miss - takes (that's what my daughter calls them) take place while we learn.

We have not failed until we have quit trying.