Everybody Makes Mistakes Because It's How We Learn

Making mistakes is a part of life. It doesn’t matter how smart, clever or perfect you think you are. It’s inevitable that you’re going to screw up.

The very thought can be distressing for some, but it’s not as bad as you think. They give you the opportunity to learn what you did wrong so you can make better decisions next time.

Let’s look at an interesting example. Lily’s decision to leave Marshall and move to San Francisco in How I Met Your Mother.

Chasing a Dream

In season 1, Lily gets the opportunity to join an art program in San Francisco. She’d always dreamed of being an artist when she was younger but put those dreams on hold.

With her wedding day getting closer, Lily begins to question who she is outside her relationship. She keeps her feelings (and the art program) a secret from Marshall. When he learns about the program and confronts Lily, he wants to know if she’ll still want to marry him after the program ends. However, Lily can’t make a promise like that which leads to the end of her relationship.

Can You Spot the Mistakes Lily Made?

Lily’s desire to join the art program is not the problem. There’s nothing wrong with wanting your independence. Many women struggle with balancing the need to be their own person within their relationship. Especially if they feel like they had to sacrifice a dream career so their partner could accomplish their goals.

However, one mistake Lily made was choosing not to tell Marshall about the art program. Instead of being honest with him about her fears or desires to be an artist, she kept everything to herself. When the truth finally came out, it just made the situation worse.

Another mistake Lily made was not realizing how difficult moving from New York to San Francisco would be. She also didn’t have a Plan B to fall back on in case everything didn’t work out. She found herself alone, isolated from her friends. She realized too late that her dream of being an artist was unrealistic.

Lily returned to New York in season 2 where she had to deal with the consequences of her actions. Marshall didn’t take her back right away. Ted was angry at her for breaking Marshall’s heart. She had to find a new place to live. Most of the time, bad decisions are the result of focusing on the wrong priorities or missing what’s really important.

You Only Get One Shot

You need more than talent to be successful. Success relies on the ability to make the right decisions at the right time.

While Marshall and Lily did reconcile, it took several episodes for Marshall to forgive her. Sometimes you don’t get a second chance to make things right.

When someone comes to your site for the first time, you have one shot to capture their attention. If you fail, they might never come to your site again. If a guy likes a girl (or vice versa), sometimes they only have the one shot to impress the person. Want board approval for a project? Usually there is a one shot at making a strong presentation.

If someone is unable to make the right decision at the right time, they’re gambling with their success each time. Sure there are times when things “work out” but was it the best way to solve the issue?

Whether it’s in business or our personal lives, one careless decision can derail everything we’ve been working towards. That’s why it’s so important to take the time to learn from our mistakes. To look back and analyze why things didn’t work out the way we’d hoped. Being self-aware and diligent can be a game-changer in many situations.