Beautiful Mistakes

Beautiful Mistakes    

No sirrrrs, please DON'T get me wrong. I'm NOT pitching the Beautiful Mistakes Billboard hit by the very popular American pop rock band Maroon 5 last year in several virtual concerts despite the pandemic still hovering.  But instead, let us discuss why NOT all mistakes are bad.  In fact and in truth, a lot of our mistakes are beautiful but on the basis of specific conditions.

For many of us, finding out that we made a mistake can feel like a threat to our self-identity.  When that happens, we're likely to act out in ways that undermine us even more such as arguing or blaming others, withdrawing or digging in our heels [which smacks of a hardliner].   So, before you are viewed as either WRONG and arrogant, aloof or unaccountable, you need to get ahead of the situation.  You'll want to talk with whomever you may have impacted your decision.  

When you make a mistake, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. Say, ' I was wrong instead of an arrogant statement like 'MISTAKES WERE MADE' or 'IT DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY I HAD ANTICIPATED'. Reactions like these statements deflect or minimize your personal contribution.  Offer a brief explanation but DON'T MAKE EXCUSES.  Do acknowledge that the mistake you committed had a negative impact on others and be willing to really listen without sounding defensive at all.  Just DON'T interrupt but do apologize.  Tell others what you're doing right now to remedy the mistake and distinguish between the parts that can be fixed or not. 

What even makes things worse is when others are involved.  It's one thing to hold a committed belief, make plans or execute a task that only you know about, and then end up being wrong.  When that happens, you get to reconcile it privately between you and yourself, period.  But when you've shared your convictions with others and rallied the troops to get them on board, and if it

happens that you're wrong, you;re now faced with an 'IDENTITY GRANTING' problem.  You may have seen yourself as a smart cookie but f those around you DON'T, or they did and now they DON'T, that means the identity you chose for yourself hasn't been affirned by others.  Yes please, it's fine to make  Beautiful Mistakes  but do learn lessons PLS✅✅✅