I f*cked up...

Hey there,

So, I fucked up. You might have noticed, or maybe you haven’t, that this email is a bit later than usual.

The truth is, that I accepted some last-minute client work from an agency last night and they wanted all the work done today, which meant I didn't have the time to focus on the newsletter. (Honestly, this was a good thing overall.)

But I still wanted to make sure I kept my streak alive and let you guys know what was up.

And this is not an excuse, just an explanation. But hey, we're all human, right?

This situation got me thinking though.

About how when we mess up, it’s easy to beat ourselves up over it. Spiraling into self-criticism, thinking we’re not good enough or that we’ve let everyone down.

But here’s the thing—shit happens. And it’s how we handle the shit that truly matters.

So, how do we bounce back from these moments?

1. Own It

The first step is to acknowledge your mistake. It would be easy for me to say that the deadline I was given wasn’t long enough, but what good would that do me? I wanted to take the job no matter what and I accepted the terms, so the fault is my own.

2. Learn From It

Every mistake is a learning opportunity. Reflect on what went wrong and how you can avoid it in the future. For me, that means getting this newsletter written ahead of time in case things pop up like they did this week.

3. Communicate

If you made a mistake, be transparent. Let anyone affected know what happened and what you’re doing to fix it. In this case, I’m letting you know why this email is late. And now many of you probably don’t even care. It’s not like you’re staring at your inboxes waiting for my email, but I’m telling you anyway.

4. Move On

Lastly, there is no reason to dwell on it. Acknowledge the mistake, learn from it, communicate, and then move on. Holding onto mistakes or frustration is only going to hold you back. Accept that you’re human and give yourself permission to move on.

Life happens, and we all make mistakes from time to time. But it’s how you respond to these mistakes that matters most.

So, next time you find yourself in a similar situation, remember to:

➢ Own it,
➢ Learn from it,
➢ Communicate,
➢ And move on.

Thanks for sticking around on this beautiful Friday, friends.

Here’s to being okay with being imperfect and growing stronger together.

Until next week,

Your friend from the wilderness,

Michael “Learning From Mistakes” Mitchell