Everybody Makes Mistakes

Here you can find out how to react to a mistake.

It has certainly happened to everyone at some time or another that they were sure of something and then were wrong. “To be mistaken is human thing” goes back to the Latin quotation “Errare humanum est” by Cicero (and Seneca the Elder). In full it reads, “Everybody makes mistakes, but to persist in error is diabolical.” There’s already a good tip hidden here, which we’ll get to later.

Everyone can be wrong

There is no shame in being wrong once in a while. It doesn’t matter if it’s a math test, if you’re recounting something from memory, if you’re reproducing a TV report, forgetting names, etc. After all, we store an infinite number of impressions and experiences in the course of our lives, so it can happen that something gets mixed up. Perhaps you have also noticed that you have made mistakes when you have a lot on your mind.

Concentration

In some situations it is very important not to make a mistake. For example, when you are crossing the street, you have to know that the pedestrian lights should show green and not red. Of course, this is a very simple example and most of you know in your sleep when it is okay to cross the road. But it illustrates that sometimes it is very important to focus on a situation. Especially drivers, pilots or doctors should not make mistakes when doing their job and should be fully focused. By concentrating, you can avoid some mistakes.

I made a mistake

If you make a mistake, you may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. You may also feel angry because you think that if you had concentrated better, you wouldn’t have made the mistake. But since you’re human, it’s normal to make mistakes and wear the wrong T-shirt at school, insist that Columbus is from America, that your girlfriend turned eleven even though it was her twelfth birthday, or that it snowed at Christmas last year when it was dry as dust.

And now?

It’s not so bad! The most important thing is that you admit you were wrong and stop insisting on being right. Because that will only get you deeper and deeper into the mess. If you are not sure who is right, just say that you probably can’t solve it now. You can ask someone who knows or read up on the internet. This way you avoid a possible argument.

Someone has been harmed

It can also happen that you offend someone or indirectly harm them if you are wrong. For example, it is hurtful if you get the date of birth wrong and forget a friend’s birthday. It can hurt someone if you say something about him/her that you are convinced is true at that moment. For example, if you say you saw a classmate in the park yesterday, even though she had school and was sick and you simply mistook her for someone else. It is important to admit that you made a mistake and to clarify the matter. An apology is certainly not wrong and will smooth things over.

Errors in relationships

Sometimes it is particularly difficult when a mistake creeps into a relationship. For example, you hear through the grapevine that the other person was strolling through town arm in arm with someone else, or you yourself receive an accusation that is not true. It is very important to clarify the situation with your partner and not to withdraw angrily. A calm discussion can clear up many misunderstandings without causing discord.

Everybody makes mistakes, to forgive divine

This quote by Alexander Pope already says that mistakes should also be forgiven. Even if an error can cause a lot of confusion, it is usually better to forgive the person who made it. After all, the difference between an error and a lie is that the former is unintentional, while a lie is well thought out.

For further help and support  — Speak with a licensed therapist today.