Mistakes are a part of life. We all make them and, over the course of our lives, we make a lot of them. That is simply the way things work. That said, I wish more people would live by two rules I try to apply each day. I am not always successful, but by trying I feel that even if I don’t make fewer mistakes at least I make better mistakes.
My two rules about mistakes:
- We all make mistakes, but our goal is to make a few as possible and correct the quickly
- Never make the same mistake twice
I have always thought the #2 was the more important rule to follow, while #1 is the easier one. Unfortunately, many people seem to break #2 again and again. I have these people in my life and I am sure you have them in yours, too. Heck, even I break Rule #2 on occasion, but then I try to apple Rule #1 to recover.
Making the same mistake twice — or over and over — makes your life more difficult as well as making it more difficult for those around you. It can also make you look really, really stupid. Now, I am not saying your ARE stupid, only that it makes you appear that way. As you might imagine, that is not the image anyone wants to present to their friends, family or even strangers. We want and need to show that we are intelligent human beans capable of learning from our mistakes and trying not to repeat them.
![Soake Hose Repair Splice](http://welchwrite.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/mistakes.jpeg)
This was brought to mind today after another, hopefully final, visit from the Gas Company. They schedule today to perform the final, permanent repair on our leaking gas line. I mentioned the Gas Company about a week ago, as when they first came to make the temporary repair, they accidentally cut the soaker hose that ran through that garden bed. Now, based on the title of this essay, what do you think they did today? Yep, cut right through it again, even after I had repaired the initial cut. Even worse, it was the same crew who was here the first time. They knew they cut the soaker. They knew it was there and they still cut it again! They were very nice guys and competent workers in all other ways, but it really made me wonder what they were thinking. The Gas Company did replace the hose, thank goodness, now that I will have to replace it. I am usually willing to do one repair on a hose, but two can cause too many leaks and also reduces the overall length of the hose. Still, it really made me wonder.
If you make a mistake, learn as much from it as possible. Develop policies. Make protocols. Take notes. Ties a string around your finger. Do whatever it takes to not make that same mistake twice. Your life will be easier — and better — for it.
Previously on End of the Day:
- It’s tiring to be a “man” sometimes – End of the Day for June 23, 2014
- You’ve got to have fun sometimes! – End of the Day for June 22, 2014
- Update all the things! – End of the Day for June 21, 2014
- Doing work, making videos or both. It can be hard to decide – End of the Day for June 20, 2014
- “Drop back and punt” technology troubleshooting – End of the Day for June 19, 2014
- Finding your rhythm – End of the Day for June 18, 2014
- …and the day flies by in Flow – End of the Day for June 17, 2014
- A little but of this. A little bit of that. – End of the Day for June 16, 2014
- Don’t ask questions you don’t really want to know the answer to – End of the Day for June 15, 2014
- In vino veritas and in conversation, truth- End of the Day for June 14, 2014
- Habits are made to be broken – End of the Day for June 13, 2014
- A week of events — End of the Day for June 11, 2014
- Sometimes I am such the “wife” in this relationship – End of the Day for June 10, 2014
- Tiring to be an adult sometimes – End of the Day for June 9, 2014
- Is it too late? – End of the Day for June 8, 2014
- When spouses travel it makes for a Sad Panda – End of the Day for June 7, 2014
- Noise and the absence of noise – End of the Day for June 6, 2014
- Sunsetting – End of the Day for June 5, 2014
- Summer is finally here! – End of the Day for June 4, 2014
- My Favorite Musicals – End of the Day for June 3, 2014
- Going without cable television — if not cable Internet – End of the Day for June 2, 2014
- Is anyone out there listening? – End of the Day for June 1, 2014
- End of the Day for May 2014
- End of the Day for April 2014
- End of the Day for March 2014
- End of the Day for February 2014
- End of the Day for January 2014