Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash
In the past, I would’ve spent days berating myself and wasting valuable energy wishing I could rewind time. Thankfully, I’ve surrounded myself with forward thinking people who’ve taught me how to turn a mistake into a benefit.
Here are 4 questions to help you reframe your mistakes:
- Was your mistake discovered by a client or friend? When your mistake is pointed out by a friend or acquaintance, be thankful they feel you are a safe place for them to be honest. Sometimes in our quest to be a friend we may be afraid to point out others’ mistakes for fear they will be upset with us.
You’ve just been given the opportunity to show them you value their opinions. This is a strong asset in relationship building. - If it was a client, are you afraid they won’t trust your work anymore? While appearing to be the smartest person in the room is tempting, it won’t be an asset if you can’t admit when you’ve made a mistake.
You have an opportunity to build trust when you can thank those who pointed out your mistakes. They feel valued and understand you appreciate their input. It’s a win/win situation. - Was your mistake caught early? When a mistake is seen early on, it can be changed and save you from future embarrassment. In my case, I publish my newsletter in a couple different places and may even use the content in the future.
This limited the exposure of my mistake, so I was grateful my friend pointed it out as soon as she noticed it. - How will this mistake help you learn and grow? When I realized what had happened, I knew right away why it occurred and how it could be avoided in the future. When writing anything it’s good to get a second pair of eyes on it. If another pair of eyes is not an option for you, step away from the project and come back with fresh eyes. This could be an hour, a day or longer.
When you’re writing, you may feel rushed and it’s easy to gloss over mistakes and just not see the words as they are, but as they appear in your mind.
Early in the building process of your business, you may have to wear several hats, but you can still use a few tips and tricks to showcase your work with excellence. When you make mistakes, and you will, how you handle them is a key factor in recovering from those mistakes..
How you respond when a mistake is pointed out, gives you the opportunity to showcase your character. We can learn from them and be grateful for those who brought them to our attention. After all, being in business is about relationships and it provides you another opportunity to reveal how you value those around you.