“Get over it!” We’ve given and received this advice countless times, but do we ever stop to think about what that phrase truly means? We’re telling someone—or being told—to accept that they’ve made a mistake and move on. Though it seems like sound advice, I think it’s missing a crucial element.
Sure, you can just ‘get over’ (ignore) your problems, but that may do more harm than good. If you don’t understand how and why you messed up, you’re likely to mess up again. Next thing you know, you’re in an endless cycle of mistakes and getting over them.
It’s perfectly normal to make mistakes, assuming you know how to handle them. Before you ‘get over’ your mistake and move on to the next one, take these 4 steps to assess your situation:
- Own it. Accept the mistake as yours, and only yours. No excuses.
- Why did it happen? It’s important to understand why you messed up, but don’t beat yourself up about it. Sometimes, things just happen.
- Can I fix it? Well, it already happened. There’s no taking it back. But taking immediate action to remedy the problem or simply giving an apology can alleviate the damage.
- What about next time? Keep this experience, however mortifying, in mind. When you’re placed in a similar predicament, you’ll already know how to handle it.
These 4 steps will help you understand and learn from your mistakes. Then, and only then, should you ‘get over it’!
“You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it’s not a mistake, it’s a choice.” – Steven Denn
Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
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