What is it you were taught about mistakes? And how do you handle them? Oh not a big deal you say… but if you screw up in a sales call, do you stop? Or do you just keep going?
The truth is, most people were taught to stop and that is exactly what they do.
You are taught it is not OK to make a mistake, that they are something to be reduced, even avoided. So you focus on getting it right. In fact, you were taught this all the way back in school, penalized for making a mistake and rewarded for getting it right.
Making sure you have everything in line so that it all goes smoothly, that you get the outcome you want and deserve. Oftentimes, so much so that this becomes a need to not only get things right, but to do them perfectly or not do them at all. Otherwise known as perfectionism.
What if this was not the best approach?
This is not to promote anyone being reckless or doing something stupid, of course.
There is value in making the mistake, something to learn in order for you to grow.
The desire to not make mistakes and to strive to get it perfect can keep you running on the hamster wheel. You just keep doing the same thing over and over, hoping to get it right.
The problem is you never get going. You stay in the process of ‘getting it right’ without gaining any resolution or progress.
One of the things that you need to learn — for your health, for your business, for your relationships even, is that you are going to make a mistake.
Yep. You will. Others will, too.
You will forget a meeting. You will drop a plate. You will forget to deposit a check. You will fail to set the alarm. You will not ask for the sale. You can have all of the safeguards and checks in place and still, it can happen.
When it happens, what do you do? You beat yourself up? You go into self-doubt and sometimes that continues into a downward spiral. I see this all the time with my clients and they have a difficult time getting out of it.
People have a tendency to beat themselves up, and then to look around to see how everyone else is doing, in an attempt to end the negative spiral of self-doubt and worry that just got started. Somehow, comparison makes everything easier or better. If you are doing better than someone else, then in some way your mistake is okay.
Another thing that people tend to do is hold onto those mistakes for a long time. Something goes really well and you miss it. Something can go very wrong and it can be the thing you remember for a long time, you hold onto it, for months.
You are taught to avoid mistakes. They just make things worse, or slow down your progress, they might even derail you completely.
On the contrary, there is value in making a mistake.
Here are five reasons to keep moving after making mistakes:
1. Without them, you stay at your current level.
If you are afraid to make a mistake, it can keep you where you are comfortable as well as be the very thing that keeps you from even getting started.
2. A mistake tells you where you need to place extra attention.
3. Mistakes show you where your limit is.
When you are in business, or at work, sometimes you need to push the boundaries or the limits and risk making a mistake. Otherwise, you stay right where you are.
4. It can mean that you are pushing yourself, stretching your limits. In business, this is a good thing.
“You never know what you are capable of until someone pushes you!” Is true. Though it pokes at our fear of making a mistake or being uncomfortable.
5. It shows you where you need to grow or take personal responsibility. Making mistakes can be valuable when you own them, learn the lesson and grow from them.
Mistakes. Trying something, stretching yourself, taking a risk. This is how we learn, see and know what we are capable of.
The next time you are up against a new goal or a challenge, the best way forward can be to take a risk, try something and if you make a mistake, try to see the value in it and keep moving forward!
Maureen Considine is Founder and CEO of Finding Your Way Coaching. A Master Coach with expertise in Income Acceleration, Business Development, Sales and Mindset, she is the Wealth Health Creation Strategist for entrepreneurs, executives, and other high performers. Maureen has over 25 years of experience in sales and marketing. She has helped hundreds of clients grow their businesses and reach their true potential using her unique, intuitive, and holistic approach. Maureen has a B.A. in Psychology, with training in mindset and the Psychology of Sales.