7 Mistakes You Can Make That Will Help You advance in life

We all make mistakes, no doubt about it. Making mistakes can reflect our willingness to explore different attitudes, approaches, and behaviors. Mistakes can also reveal powerful opportunities for personal development as we reflect on life’s lessons and take thoughtful action to make a change.

See 7 mistakes that can help you grow ultimately as a person.

1. Say ‘yes’ when you need to say ‘no’.

Nothing hurts like agreeing to help someone when your plate is already more than full. You are guaranteed to feel even worse if you fail to come through solely because you have taken on too much. Making mistakes like this will help you learn how to honor your existing commitments, respect your boundaries, and graciously decline when it is in the best interest of everyone involved.

2. Neglect a cherished friendship.

Relationships must be nurtured and cared for over time in order to thrive. While life is incessantly busy, most treasured relationships cannot survive complete and utter neglect. If you have a friendship that goes untended and you lose it as a result, you’ll re-evaluate the importance of the people you hold dear, and figure out how to better prioritize when it comes to those close to you.

3. Stay in a job that makes little use of your talents.

Our career options are not always ideal or apparent. We often grow into fuller knowledge of what we both enjoy doing and do well. If a role depletes your energy, saps your enthusiasm, or brings little in the way of satisfaction, it is not in alignment with your strengths. A job that allows you to shine, however, will demonstrate the importance of working in an area that energizes and fulfills you. You can emerge from a cruddy job with a greater appreciation for your innate gifts, as well as an awareness of how you can uniquely contribute to others.

4. Assume that you have nothing new to learn.

If you make the mistake of thinking that you know it all, you will almost always miss out on the more subtle learning opportunities that emerge. Your growth will come from the realization that those who are open to learning from others, regardless of their status, title or experience, will consistently find ways to gain new knowledge. Furthermore, others will in turn ask you to share your expertise if you are recognized and celebrated as a continuous learner.

5. Attempt to do everything on your own.

High-achievers often think that asking others for help is a sign of weakness, or otherwise indicative of an inability to succeed.  In reality, seeking assistance from others allows you to function very well, instead of doing a mediocre job at everything. Collaborate regularly, and you can likewise lend a helping hand to someone else in need.

6. Keep your dreams to yourself.

You may think that it is best to keep your visions of your future fantastic self in your head; however, this mistake ultimately robs you of the accountability and support that can transform your dreams into reality. Find a trusted confidant that you can share your dreams with to bolster your confidence and encourage your forward momentum. Giving voice to your dreams puts you all the closer to taking action to drive progress.

7. Take feedback personally.

Personalizing critique from others will minimize your chances for self-improvement. Be sure that you are asking for feedback on a routine basis, even if it makes you uncomfortable. Furthermore, review the input objectively and think about how you can apply of what you have heard. Likewise, do your best to provide others with timely, constructive feedback. True transformation comes from an ability to manage your ego so it does not derail your future evolution or result in attacks on others.

Making mistakes suggest that you are willing to move beyond the status quo towards change.  Challenge yourself to find the key themes that you can apply from every interaction, situation, or personality that you encounter.