I eagerly opened the box from the printer, anxious to see our new business cards. Besides the incorrect zip code and unreadable font, I guess they were alright… OK, I admit it: they were awful! Replacements cost money and time, not to mention the price of my pride.
I’ve perfected the art of making mistakes, and I’ve also learned a few things about fixing them.
Top 5 Ways To Make A Mistake
5. Be tired. Sleep deprivation can have the same hazardous effects as excessive drinking. Reaction times are slowed, attention and memory are impaired. A 15- or 20-minute nap alleviates drowsiness and increases productivity.
4. Be alone. You can’t tickle yourself, and you can’t proofread your own work. You know what you meant to say, so your brain automatically fills in any gaps. Another set of eyes can catch costly errors, and another person’s perspective is priceless.
3. Be distracted. Multitasking is a myth. Interruption such as phone calls and emails cause a drop in IQ more than double that of marijuana smokers, and it takes an average of 25 minutes to recover and return to the original task. Limit interruptions and focus on one activity at a time.
2. Be hurried. “Haste makes mistakes,” King Solomon said (Proverbs 19:2 NLT). Over-commitment, tight scheduling and procrastination are a lethal combination that can be overcome with realistic deadlines and the ability to say “no.”
1. Be empty. Only when we are filled “with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills” (Exodus 31:3), can we accomplish what God sets before us. Pray over your work and ask the Lord to bless you with creativity, accuracy, efficiency and energy.
5 Ways to Fix a Mistake
1. Acknowledge. Be the first to point out your mistake to others before they must point it out to you. Simply say, “I need to tell you about a situation.”
2. Apologize. Quickly and sincerely say, “I’m sorry. I realize my mistake will cost us [fill in the blank: respect, relationships, professionalism, time, money, etc.].”
3. Accept. Take responsibility for the mistake, even if others were involved. “I accept full responsibility and I’ll do whatever I can to fix this.”
4. Ask. Ask for forgiveness, even if it seems minor. This is great practice for asking our heavenly Father for forgiveness! It’s also a powerful example to others to show how they should handle mistakes.
5. Assess. Don’t waste your mistakes: learn from them. Lecture yourself on why and how this happened so you can avoid the same mistake next time.
Thank you, Lord, for kind people who respond to my mistakes with patience. I need Your forgiveness more each passing day. I’m sure I’ll make a few more mistakes today, but with Your grace, they don’t have to be the same ones I made yesterday.
Read Hebrews 10:24-25
- Can you think of a time when isolation or being alone caused you to make a mistake?
- What’s the best advice someone has given you to encourage you or spur you to better things?
- Who do you trust to give you godly advice that helps you avoid mistakes?
- How do you react when someone points out a mistake or potential pitfall in your life?
Read Proverbs 19:2
- Has haste ever caused you to make a mistake?
- How can you slow down to pay more attention to your work?
- Do you need to slow down to pay attention to the people around you?
- Have you ever felt ignored because someone was too busy to give you the attention you needed?
- Has busyness ever caused you to make a mistake in a relationship?
Read 1 John 1:8-9
- What does it mean to you to confess your sins?
- Do you regularly confess your sins to God?
- When was the last time you confessed a sin or mistake to another person?
- Can you offer the same level of forgiveness to others that God gives to us?
Read Romans 8:28
- Has God ever redeemed your mistake and turned it into an opportunity?
- The next time you make a mistake, ask God to show you how He will use if for the good.
- What role do you play in working something for the good when someone else makes a mistake?
- Does your reaction allow something “good” to come of it?