“You make mistakes. But you have the character to learn from your mistakes. That trait is why you are continually becoming a better person.” ~ Jay Wren
Self-Honesty
Being honest with myself about the fact that I have made a mistake is the first step in becoming a better person.
I Stop Blaming Other People for My Mistakes
Blaming other people may make me feel better. But blaming other people for my mistakes does nothing to correct the problems I have created.
I don’t always have to admit to others that I made a mistake. However, I do need to be honest with myself about the mistakes I make, so that I can go and handle things differently in the future. With a little self-honesty, I can make huge strides in self-improvement.
No One Can Change the Past
Some mistakes I can’t correct. When I was a Navy officer, I had responsibility for over a dozen projects. One of those projects was the cruise book. This book was like a class yearbook. I had a cruise book editor assigned to the project. This man got an early out from the Navy. I appointed a new person to take over the project. He had not been aboard for the entire cruise. The finished cruise book was terrific. However, there were photographs of one ceremony that did not make it into the finished cruise book. The ceremony was important to our captain. It was the day the ship crossed the equator. The captain was the person who noticed that the ceremony was missing. We had published the book. There was no way to add the ceremony pictures to the book.
I told the captain that I regretted the mistake. I did not make any excuses or say anything about the change in the cruise book editor. Fortunately, there was a lot that was good about the book. I let him say how this oversight bothered him. Then he talked about the things he liked about the book. We both moved on.
Living with Regret is Pointless
Sometimes things continue to bother me that I can’t change. Rather than ruminate over these things, I write them down. I talk with a friend about these things. Writing and discussing things I regret with a close friend allows me to move on.
Conclusion
Mistakes are not roadblocks but stepping stones on the path to self-improvement. By embracing self-honesty and taking responsibility, I gain the clarity needed to grow. While I can’t alter the past, I can certainly learn from it. As the cruise book experience shows, acknowledging errors without excuse allows me to move forward. Living with regret is pointless; instead, I can process these feelings through reflection and discussion. It’s our character—our willingness to learn and adapt—that truly defines our journey toward becoming a better person, one thoughtful step at a time.