Mistakes have the power to turn you into something better than you were before.

Humans make mistakes. But if we simply apologize and carry on as before, we’re in danger of repeating the same errors. And certainly, there is no benefit from punishing ourselves for mistakes. Have compassion for yourself.

When we don’t learn from our mistakes, we inflict unnecessary stress on ourselves and on others. And we also risk losing people’s confidence and trust in us. 

• Own your mistake. Until you can say, “I messed up,” you aren’t ready to change. It may be easier to try to hide it or to blame others or circumstances. But, it is so important to own your mistake. Admit it and apologize, as applicable. In the long run, people will remember your courage and integrity long after they’ve forgotten the original mistake.
• Look for the learning opportunity.   What could you do differently in the future? Write about these: What was I trying to do? What went wrong? When did it go wrong? Why did it go wrong? Writing down your responses, will help you think more logically about an irrational or emotional experience.
• Make a plan. And then work through those responses to create a new way of doing it.  Be as detailed as possible. Set up a schedule, learn new communication skills, devise a different strategy. It may be helpful to bring in others to help you with this.
• Review your progress.   Don’t berate yourself for not getting it right immediately. You may need to tweak or learn some more.   That’s all part of change.

Forget the mistake. Learn from the lesson.