YOUR BEST MISTAKE EVER

What's the best mistake you ever made? Notice I didn't ask, "what's the worst mistake you ever made," although most of the time we look back on our mistakes and think of them as, well, mistakes....things we'd just as soon forget. For some reason the idea of great mistakes popped into my head recently and I decided there must be a Monday Morning Coach here somewhere.

So what are those things you'd just as soon forget about and never look back on, maybe from the past year, perhaps longer if you haven't done such a review lately? The bad marriage, the terrible career move, the misguided investment? They are reminders of our all-too-human fallability. And they also happen to be among the best teachers we've ever had. Part of the process of defining your goals for the next year involves looking back on the good and bad from the previous year and asking, "what have I learned?"

Ever hear the old saying that "those who refuse to learn from history are destined to repeat it" or "there are no mistakes? " Both are true. So this week take some time to unpack the trunk full of great mistakes you've made and take a fresh look at what you've learned from them.

By the way, this is not the time to relive the experiences or punish yourself for your missteps. Rather, it's time for an inventory, and maybe some forgiveness for being human. If it helps (and it probably will), take a sheet of paper (several maybe) and list those things from the past that have been huge flubs, goofs or mistakes. Let me share an example from my life: Many years ago, at the urging of a "friend," I had her husband invest several thousand dollars for me in a very risky commodity. In fairly short order I had lost a significant portion of the investment. Yet from that experience I learned several valuable lessons, among them: not to let someone "talk me into" investing in something I don't really understand and can't afford to lose. In other words it taught me to be a more involved, responsible and yes, conservative, investor. Was I happy to lose the money? Certainly not. But looking back I consider it an "investment" in my own life education that has paid off many times over.

Back to your list. Once you've listed your "greatest mistakes", then begin to identify the benefits or lessons you've gained from each one. And finally ask yourself, "If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, what would I do differently?"

Gandhi is quoted as saying, "Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes." Be grateful for your mistakes and all you've learned as a result of making them. Then take the next step by transforming your learning experiences into lessons or operating principles to guide you in the future. This is the equivalent of taking those "life lemons," extracting the juice and making lemonade!

If you really want to extract the wisdom from your experiences and create a game plan to propel you to success in the new year on the horizon, join me in Las Vegas on Friday, Jan. 12, 2007 for my first Best Year Yet (R) program of the new year. Find out more about BYY by visiting www.bestyearyet.com. Or reply to this message with "BYY info" in the subject line.

In the meantime, remember, there are no mistakes only great learning opportunities!

"If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down."
~~Mary Pickford

Ready to have your best year yet in 2007? Join me on Friday, Jan. 12, 2007 in Las Vegas for the first Best Year Yet (R) program of the new year. For info, reply with "BYY info" in the subject line. Please include your name and a contact number in the body of your email.

Do You Enjoy The "Monday Morning Coach" Ezine. If So Go To www.BestEzines.com & Click Write A Review.

Click here to register for our FREE e-mail newsletter
The Monday Morning Coach

BACK TO MONDAY MORNING COACH ARCHIVE