Are You Taking Advantage of Your Mistakes?

No matter what our line of work, no matter how good we are at what we do, we are all going to make mistakes. How we handle those mistakes ultimately defines how successful we become.

The hardest part about making a mistake is admitting that we made it in the first place. By admitting to a mistake you have to recognize that something that you did was wrong, apologize for it and make a change in your approach.

I see so many people who blind themselves to the impact of their bad decisions on the business or others around them. When they make a mistake, their ego, insecurities or fear of change prevent them from seeing their part in what happened.

As strange as it sounds, our mistakes are a huge opportunity. They show us what is not working, stimulate us to look at new ideas and ultimately, help us to make changes for the better.

If you are unable to admit that you made a mistake or you blame someone else for it, you lose that opportunity to learn from it, change and improve.

In addition, when someone can admit to their mistakes, they demonstrate that they have the self-confidence and ethical strength to do the right thing, even at a potential personal cost.

Look around at your colleagues. I would be willing to bet that those for whom you have the most respect have the ability to admit it when they screw up are very good at what they do. It is not a coincidence that these two things are linked.

Everyone makes mistakes. Our ability to learn from them is the difference between failure and greatness