You make mistakes. Probably often. And that’s a good thing.
The Mistake of Perfection
Some people hate to admit to mistakes. They think they have all the answers. It’s understandable. Often these people grew up in an environment where mistakes weren’t tolerated. They were possibly punished for them, or ridiculed for them, or held to an impossibly high standard that they could never attain. Admitting to mistakes is not something that comes easily.
However always being right carries a lot of baggage. It can cause rifts in relationships, bad performance reviews, and distance in friendships. The worst part about always being right is how wrong it makes you.
The Beauty of Being Wrong
I’m not sure if you’ve checked lately, but we’re all human. Except Blorg. But he’s cool.
We all make mistakes. We all get things wrong. We all hold onto incorrect assumptions. It’s a painful part of being human.
It’s when we’re okay with being wrong, that we can accept that. Instead of stubbornly holding onto our world view to save face, we can graciously say, “oh, I hadn’t though of it that way” or “I can see what you’re saying; it makes a lot of sense.”
When we do that, we have the opportunity to learn. We have the opportunity to grow. We have the opportunity to expand our thinking and our universe, and by doing so, we become more right than the people who think they’re always right.
It’s a Good Thing
So the next time you realize you’re wrong, smile. Accept it. Own it. It means you are fixing some incorrect thinking, unlike those who will never admit they’re wrong. While others stay stagnant or decline, you are becoming smarter which each opportunity to grow.
You may be wrong, but that’s okay. It means you’re smart and getting smarter. And that’s a good thing.
