How to Turn a Mistake Into a Valuable Life Lesson

how to turn your mistake into a valuable life lesson

Verywell / Julie Bang

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Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.

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Friday Fix: Episode 115

We all make mistakes. Some mistakes are thinking errors—like assuming the reason your friend didn’t respond to a text message is because they’re mad at you.

Other mistakes are emotional—like allowing yourself to stay stuck in a really angry mood. But most of the mistakes we talk about are behavioral—like saying hurtful things or drinking too much.

No matter which type of mistake you make, each misstep is an opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson. But before you can learn a life lesson, you have to be willing to face your mistake head-on in a self-compassionate way.

It’s tempting sometimes to minimize our mistakes. After all, thinking too much about how you messed up will cause you to feel bad.

On the other hand, it can also be tempting to beat yourself up for a mistake. Harsh self-criticism, however, only makes things worse.

On today’s episode of the Verywell Mind Podcast, I share how you can turn a mistake into a valuable life lesson. I discuss the three questions you should ask yourself when you make a mistake and the strategies that will ensure a mistake becomes an opportunity for growth.

So whether you keep blowing your budget or you’ve entered into an unhealthy relationship, tune in to find out how to turn that mistake into a valuable life lesson.

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By Amy Morin, LCSW
Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.