Lesson #3

The first step when you make a mistake or were wrong about something, is acknowledging to yourself that you have made a mistake or were wrong. This isn't always easy, we generally don't like being wrong or making a mistake. We like to think that we're perfect and that we are infallible. It's especially hard to admit that we're wrong or have made a mistake, after someone has wronged us first or we believe that someone has wronged us. A few years ago at work, a few of my coworkers had found out about a little crush that I had on another coworker, and I couldn't figure out how they knew. In all honesty, I probably just wasn't hiding it as well as I thought it was. The problem is, that one of my coworkers had told me that one of the coworkers I was close with had spread it around. I felt hurt and betrayed, because they had told me that they wouldn't tell anyone. I trusted this coworker and thought that she had my back. In the end, it turns out that it wasn't her that told people, and I got upset over something I was wrong about. The apology tour on that one was rough. She was really hurt that I didn't believe her.

If you said something that you shouldn't have or you started an argument, admit that you were wrong to yourself and then sincerely apologize to the other party, this is step two. I don't know when it was that society as a whole stopped taking accountability for their actions and their behavior, but even going back to when I was in high school, if you ever admitted that you were wrong about something, it always surprised the other person that you would own up to it. They expect us to argue and die on a hill proving a point that we know we're wrong about.

Most of your mistakes can probably be fixed fairly easily. You said something that you shouldn't have, started an argument over something that you were wrong about, you failed an assignment, or maybe you messed up a project at work. I can't guarantee that every relationship (family, friends, romantic, coworkers, etc.) can be saved by acknowledging that you are wrong, depending on the situation, but it gives you the best chance of salvaging that relationship. Even if it doesn't, at least you can earn their respect by acknowledging that you made a mistake.

A man's life expectancy is about 73 - 83 years. Don't waste time trying to argue the wrong point. Acknowledge that you are wrong or that you made a mistake. It's a sign of maturity when you can do so. It's not always easy to admit it, but if you can do it once, it becomes easier the next time that you should need to.