9 Ways to Handle Mistakes to Move On

We all make mistakes, like tripping on a curb, breaking wind in an elevator, missing a deadline or saying the wrong thing.

Most are small, but sometimes they’re life changing ones. They impact us in different ways.

Two people can make the same mistake – one person can move on with little thought, whilst the other ruminates and stresses.

What are these two people doing differently?

Here are 9 ways to handle mistakes – in a better more productive way. Different ways of thinking which build our resilience and provide us with learning opportunities.

#1. Time Will Lessen the Impact of Your Mistakes

The more time that passes will lessen the impact of the thing you did wrong.

I’ve made many mistakes at work, big clunky ones in front of other people – which at the time were devastating.

But memories are short, our (and others) emotional attachment to memories weaken over time. Remember your first love, and how you felt when you broke up.

Time passes, memories fade and emotional wounds heal. Most mistakes eventually become funny anecdotes.

#2. Take Positive Action by Learning From Them

When we make a mistake, we can feel sick to our stomach and become self-critical.

But don’t let it knock your confidence, use it as a life enhancing skill.

Every mistake provides feedback. Which helps us avoid making the same one again.

Feedback helps us make better informed decisions in the future.

Think of all the things we can do now, which required learning from mistakes: walking, talking, driving, DIY, promotion, relationships…

#3. The Consequences Could Have Been Much Worse

Sometimes we can be grateful for mistakes. When we realise things could have been alot worse.

The consequences vary widely, for example if you stumbled and grazed your knee, you’ll likely be annoyed, but grateful that you didn’t damage the joint.

This in combination with learning from your mistakes can help you make better decisions and build resilience.

Luck plays a part, there are always two sides to a coin, it could have been better, it could have been worse.

#4. Forgive Yourself for Your Mistakes, as you Would Others

Holding on to a mistake leads to regret, which can drain you, and cause long-term stress.

Mistakes can be reasonable or stupid (foreseeably avoidable).

For example, a new driver would be expected to make minor driving mistakes (reasonable). But a new driver taking obvious risks and crashing is a stupid mistake.

If a loved one made the same mistake, would you forgive them?

#5. Make the Effort to Think Rationally About Your Mistakes

When we make a mistake we may panic and catastrophise. Which means we believe the consequences are more serious than they really are.

Think about ones you’ve made in the past. Missing a deadline, getting a little tipsy at a work do, making a poor investment…the list is endless.

To better handle these situations, think rationally, what is the probability of the worst case scenario.

How often have you worried about something that never happened. Alternately the thing did happen, but the impact was negligible.

This is a skill which comes naturally to optimists – am I a pessimist?

#6. Make Amends for Them, or Live With the Consequences

When you’ve wronged someone the best thing to do is apologise.

If you admit you made a mistake and own it, you’ll keep what respect remains. People negatively impacted will respect your confession and gain closure.

Alternatively, if you deny, excuse or ignore the mistake, not only will it turn others against you, but you’ll have to live with it – long-term.

Do what is painful in the short-term, it leads to forgiveness. And even if they don’t forgive you, you’re on the road to forgiving yourself.

#7. Share Them With Others for a Better Perspective

Other people tend to be more forgiving of us, than we are of ourselves. When you tell others about somthing you did wrong you gain a different perspective.

Not only will this help you handle them better, it gives you the opportunity to unburden yourself.

Making a mistake and keeping it bottled up results in anxiety and stress. Whereas sharing it can make you feel better and lead to creative solutions.

Also, sharing them with others can create stronger, closer relationships.

#8. You’re Only Human, They’re Part of Normal Life

Making mistakes is a universal truth, all of us make them, all of the time. The secret is to make good mistakes, ones that lead to personal development.

Accept that you’ll make mistakes, this may be especially uncomfortable for perfectionists.

As a species, society has been created from the mistakes of our ancestors.

Handle your mistakes better by accepting that they’re inevitable. Also accept that they’re part of being human.

#9. When the Mistake is Made, it Can’t Be Unmade

When we make a mistake we get angry at ourselves and think about it constantly. Be aware of your negative self-talk.

But it can’t be undone, so no amount of regret will help. So, what’s important is the way we respond to it by:

Holding on to your mistakes, and living with regret, stunts personal growth and you’ll be anxious and miserable.

These 9 tips to handle your mistakes better, may seem simplistic, but living a happier life requires many small positive changes.

Making small positive changes is the only way to consistently improve, they’re easy to adopt and maintain.

Big life changes may seem more attractive but they’re unsustainable in the long-term. Think of that diet or exercise regime – short-term gains, but consistently abandoned.

Small positive changes accumulate and become routine. This includes thinking more constructive and positive thoughts.

An inquisitive and leaning mindset helps us identify right or wrong ways to handle mistakes. The only way to handle mistakes better is to experiment and find ways that work for you.