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“As you begin to take action toward the fulfillment of your goals and dreams, you must realize that not every action will be perfect. Not every action will produce the desired result. Not every action will work. Making mistakes, getting it almost right, and experimenting to see what happens are all part of the process of eventually getting it right.” – Jack Canfield
If you have ever taken action, you know that with every action there can be a positive or negative outcome. Every decision or choice has a risk. To be human is to know that mistakes, shortcomings, failures, and pitfalls will occur. Perfection does not exist. When pitfalls do occur, it is important for you and I find purpose in those pitfalls.
According to an online Dictionary, a pitfall is “a hidden or unsuspected danger or difficulty.” Otherwise, known as the speed bump in the road of life believed to slow us down and on the rare occasion speed things up. To find purpose is to give meaning to the pitfalls. The purpose is to discover what happened and what the cause was to prevent those pitfalls from reoccurring.
Pitfalls can tell you a great deal about yourself, others, and the world around you. If you have the courage to share your pitfalls publicly or with your small circle of friends, you may even inspire someone with your vulnerability. Mistakes and pitfalls give you an opportunity to review your intentions, evaluate your commitments, and adjust your actions to align with your values.
Acknowledge Your Pitfall. The first step in finding purpose in your pitfalls is to acknowledge that a pitfall or mistake happened. We make mistakes every day. With some mistakes, you self-correct so quickly that you do not even notice. It is instinctual. Other mistakes will set you back or repeat themselves until you discover the lesson, make a different decision, and take a different action.
“Own” It! Accept 100% Responsibility. Sometimes when mistakes or pitfalls happen people minimizing them as insignificant, “It really doesn’t affect things.” or “It’s not a big deal.” Some people turn to blame others because they could not have made a mistake. Do you know anyone like this? When you accept responsibility for what is you control, you can turn things around and maintain trust and respect of others. People are gracious towards you when you “own your stuff” because they know there will be a time when they make a mistake and will need the same favour.
Reflect and Ask Powerful Questions. Taking time to reflect brings about self-awareness. Once you are self-aware, there is no turning back! When you have the awareness of what happened and what the cause was you cannot intentionally repeat the same mistake or error. You will need to make a change especially if you are looking for positive results.
What were the steps leading to this pitfall?
What could be done to prevent this pitfall from repeating?
What needs to be adjusted to get the desired result?
Mistakes teach us about integrity. Mistakes and pitfalls often happen when you have overcommitted yourself, avoided conflict, broken promises, failed to listen, or rushed to get something done. They teach us that sometimes we need to slow down and become mindful of our interactions with others, how we feel, and what is going on around us. According to Dr. Carol Dweck’s work, if you have a “growth” mindset, you will see your mistakes as an opportunity to improve. Whereas, if you have a “fixed” mindset, you will see your mistakes as fatal and something that cannot be corrected.
Fail Forward with a Plan. There is no sense in beating yourself up over a pitfall. It is done and often cannot be changed. Focus on what CAN be done. Now that you have determined what may have led to this pitfall, you can make a plan of action to get the outcome you desire. What will be your next steps to set up for one of your greatest comebacks?
Discipline Yourself to Avoid Falling into Old Patterns. When you have determined what led you astray and you have made a plan, you need to become disciplined and eliminate distractions taking you off track. You heard through a trusted source that your team wonders if you care about them as people. You may choose to get up from your desk two times a day to interact with your team members or staff instead of hiding behind your desk. Positive changes do not have to be big to make an impact. In this example, your team members want to know you care. You can demonstrate this by getting to know them as people and not just the people who work for you. Set a notification to ensure you do this otherwise it will be too easy to fall into old habits.
Pitfalls can:
- Invite us to make better choices in the future.
- Reveal insights into new ideas leading to innovation and creativity.
- Show us that a person has changed.
- Deepen our knowledge.
- Inform our values.
- Expose our true feelings.
- Keep us humble.
- Teach us the value of forgiveness.
- Tell us when it is time to move on.
We should take time to celebrate these mistakes and pitfalls for we have the ability to learn and improve – become better versions of ourselves. Your pitfalls are part of your journey of discovery of who you are and the strengths, talents, and abilities that you have to share with others. They provide you with an opportunity to develop mental toughness. You can practice mental toughness; the true strength comes from your resilience.
Please share how your pitfalls have made you mentally stronger.
“When you make a ‘mistake’, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind and then look forward. ‘Mistakes’ are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.” -Hugh White
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DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has the heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free e-book download today! www.debrakasowski.com
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