We all make mistakes, but I wonder if I don't make more mistakes than most people. When I was about 11 years old, I made the mistake of throwing some stones at some kids that had a pellet gun. Not sure exactly what was going through my preadolescent brain at the time, but it wasn't smart.
If I had that time to live over again, I would have responded different.
The boys turned as if to shoot us with the gun, and we (my brothers and neighbour friends) were off running through the woods.
The trail was narrow and I tripped on a root that was protruding. Landing in the bushes on the edge of the trail, I was speared through the throat with a stick.
I jumped up holding the stick still jammed into my windpipe.
The kids around me couldn't believe it either. I was having a hard time breathing and blood was oozing down my chest.
We had two blocks to get home and while some of the kids ran ahead, I was having a hard time walking.
Eventually, I pulled the stick out of my windpipe and made it home.
My mom, an ex-registered nurse, cleaned my wound and showed me how to breathe through the hole in my neck before rushing me off to the hospital.
A few stitches later, I felt lucky to be alive.
My mistakes and accidents didn't stop then. Throughout my life I have made mistakes, and errors in judgments.
Some of those have been in business and have affected other people.
I wish occasionally, I could go back and do things differently, but as we all know, we can't.
This week I was talking to a businessman who himself was involved in a tragic incident, that he admitted, in hindsight he would have approached differently if he knew the outcome.
While this incident happened in his personal life, it has affected his business and like the scar on my throat, will be a scar that he has for many years to come.
In business, as in life, things happen that get out of control.
While we are doing something that we believe is in the best interest of our business and our customers, sometimes things unravel.
This has happened in my career numerous times. So what do we do, when our intentions are different from the outcome? For many business owners, the stress that results because of decisions we have made is often self-imposed.
We have things going on in our mind that are different from reality.
We imagine what people are saying and doing and the truth is actually for the most part something different.
Many times, most of our customers and stakeholders are so absorbed in their own lives, that our problems seem trivial to them.
In my book, Profit Yourself Healthy, I talk about the effects of business stress on the body.
The high cortisol levels that lead to high blood pressure and blood sugar imbalances.
The sleepless nights, fatigue, belly fat and low energy levels.
The moodiness, relationship problems and anxiety.
These are byproducts of our high-stress levels.
In business, as in life, we do make mistakes, however sometimes the stakes seem higher when we happen to rely on the success of the business for our livelihood, and those of our employees.
The truth of the matter is that we all make mistakes.
I still make them, my business friends still make them, and maybe even you make the odd mistake.
We can choose to beat ourselves up as a result of these errors, or we can show ourselves a little mercy, a little forgiveness.
Wouldn't the world be a better place if not only were we more forgiving of ourselves, but of others too.
Give yourself a break today.
Breathe deeply knowing that you are human, and you are lucky to be alive.
I do!
Dave Fuller, MBA, is a Certified Professional Business coach and the author of the book Profit Yourself healthy. Dave is lucky to be alive and would love to hear your stories, email [email protected]
