7 Bizarre Mistakes Every Person Must Make In Order To Be Your Best Self

Oops. You did it again. You made a mistake. And, guess what? That means you’re one step closer to understanding your best self. Believe me, I’ve made plenty of my own mistakes.

Okay, so it might sound like strange advice to tell someone to “mistake their way to success,” but ask anyone over the age of 40 about their most profound lessons in life, and they’ll surely tell you about their mistakes, rather than their successes.

Yes, mistakes can be good. However, you might ask, why? How can screwing something up be of any benefit to: your relationship, your career, or your ultimate happiness?

Consider this for a second. We’ve all heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Why have we all heard about it? Because it’s leaning. The only reason the tower is now a tourist destination is due to a human mistake. And, now it’s legendary.

Okay, so your mistakes might not become legendary to others, but they will to you. Mistakes are the reason we learn in life. They are the reason we change course. They’re the reason we learn to protect ourselves. And, beyond anything else, they are the reasons we learn to understand ourselves—what makes us unique, what we value, and how we choose to live our lives.

Obviously, mistakes can be heartbreaking in the moment. But, take it from me, a guy who has made countless mistakes, and interviewed many of the world’s top business leaders, mistakes will turn out to be the most positively pivotal moments of your life.

Here are 7 Bizarre Mistakes Every Person Must Make before they truly understand how to become their best self.

1. Pretend to be someone you’re not.

We all do it on a personal and professional level at some point. We believe that guy or girl will be impressed by someone we’re not. We believe that hiring manager will be impressed by someone we’re not. So, we pretend to be someone we’re not. Why should you make this mistake? The people who admire you most in life are the people that know the real, authentic, you. And, you might not know it yet, but the people who will admire you the most in the future will also like the real you the most.

2. Idolize an idiot.

When we’re young, power, success, social status, and beauty often dictate who we admire most. It’s natural. However, just because someone is successful or good looking, doesn’t make them a good person. I’ve encountered numerous people throughout my life who I admired that turned out to be slime-bags. So, why would I recommend that you idolize these idiots? Because they’ll teach you everything you DON’T want to become. That is an education you cannot purchase.

3. Shove your foot in your mouth.

No one can choose the perfect words for every situation. And, we all can tell stories about times where we’ve spoken too soon, out of turn, or have been too direct. Why should everyone make this mistake? Sticking your foot in your mouth will teach you to listen instead of talk. And, when you learn to truly listen to people, you’ll never shove your foot in your mouth again.

4. Believe your past carries you into the future.

You may have accomplished something great in the past. However, your reputation from the past is not enough to carry you into the future. The truth is; the moment you quit succeeding you fail. If you can’t live up to your past, and exceed it, your ego, personal identity, and reputation will be squashed like a grape. And, this is why I recommend everyone make this mistake at least once. It’s the only way you’ll understand that you need to keep winning to be a winner.

5. Compromise Your Character:

This is a highly recommended mistake. Why? It might seem strange, but, at some point, all of us will be asked to do something by a boss, a significant other, or a friend to do something that compromises your character. As long as it’s not illegal or dangerous, do it. Why? Because it will dig a pit in your stomach so deep that it will haunt you for the rest of your life, and teach you that living by your principles is the only path forward.

6. Stop listening to people who disagree with you.

Everyone should make this mistake at least once in their life. It’s easy to do. Just stop listening to, conversing with, or giving any attention to, anyone who disagrees with you. Why is this important to understanding your best self? It will, very quickly, teach you that tuning out disagreement doesn’t benefit you at all. Your progress is based on disagreement. Open your mind—not because other people can change it, but instead because you’ll learn to see a different perspective.

7. Believe you are 100% responsible for your own success.

It’s a nice thought. And, most of us, at some point, attempt to take full credit for our own accomplishments. Yet, this is a mistake we all must make. For some reason, at some point in time, we all believe that others will believe, that we are different from everyone else. But, imagine what this sounds like to a hiring manager—a person who is offering you an opportunity. Imagine what it sounds like to friends, family members, parents, former teachers, and significant others who have supported you. You didn’t get where you are today without others. Make this mistake. Believe it. It will come back to bite you. And, when it does, you’ll never make it again.

Mistakes are crucial to human development. They are the reason we become the people we are today. And, when we can accept those mistakes, learn from them, and adjust ourselves, we can become the best versions of ourselves. They reveal ourselves to ourselves. And, and only then, we can become our best self.

If you want to understand how to magnify the best you in you, check out this fascinating online course I found online. It’s free. And, you’ll be grateful you checked it out.