Introduction
We are programmed at an early age to think that mistakes are bad. Make a mistake and you won’t get good grades. Choose the right career because there’s no going back. Make up your mind, there won’t be a second chance. You will regret this decision later. What were you really thinking? All this well-meaning advice rings loud and clear in our heads, conveying a simple message—stay away from mistakes.
Living in a mistake-phobic culture that links mistakes with stupidity and incompetence, it isn’t easy to admit a mistake. While most of the decisions we make aren’t about life and death and the consequences are rather trivial, we find it extremely hard to say, “I made a mistake.” We avoid taking responsibility for our actions and use blame, lies, and other fanciful stories to avoid looking like an idiot.