We all make mistakes, right? That’s why embracing mistakes is so important. Even after 12 years in my role, it turns out I’m not immune to the occasional blunder. This past week, I managed to make every error possible while booking travel for my executive. From hotel hiccups to Uber woes, flight confusion to event booking issues – you name it, I somehow managed to do it.
Initially, I was furious with myself. Frustration, stress, and self-criticism set in, and I let those emotions rule the situation. Mistakes began to snowball. I found myself thinking, “I’m not great at this job. I should be better after doing this for so long. Mistakes like this shouldn’t still happen after 12 years.”
But here’s the interesting part – it’s much more critical in my head than my executive is out loud. He’s a pro at saying, “How can we do better next time?” He sees every good and bad moment as an opportunity for growth. On the flip side, I’m often overly harsh on myself, convinced that I’m a mistake-making machine.
Surrounding myself with peers who shared their commiseration made me stop and pause. I realized that we are all fallible because we are human. And more importantly, my EA coach (if you’ve never had one I’d highly suggest looking into that) reminded me that we are not our roles; we are more than our job titles. Our true value isn’t in our professional responsibilities but in who we are as individuals.
Even if you mess up enough to lose your job, it’s essential to remember that it’s just a job, and your entire existence shouldn’t be defined by it. Instead, reflect on who you are in real life. Consider the positive impact you have on those around you, the good you do in your community, and the support you provide for your family.
In Conclusion, Recognizing and Embracing Mistakes.
Recognizing that we all make mistakes is a vital part of our personal and professional growth. To err is human, and that’s entirely okay. But the real magic lies in what comes next. Instead of dwelling on errors, we should ask ourselves, “What can I learn from this? How can I improve for next time?” Find opportunities to create better processes to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Remember that anything we do more than once should have a process. Did you stick to it? How can you do things differently, and how will do that you going forward?
Embracing mistakes is a journey from a negative spiral to resilience. It’s about realizing that we are more than our missteps and that those very mistakes are stepping stones on the path to growth and success.
Do you have questions about recognizing mistakes and learning to embrace them? We offer one-on-one coaching. Contact us to learn more.