R2 Thoughts for You Are You Right, Wrong Or Normal?
Is this right, wrong or normal attire?
Are you ever wrong and have a hard time admitting it? If you answered yes to the previous question, then why do you have a hard time? Is it normal to not ever be wrong? Of course not. Is it normal to to not ever be right? Of course not. Is it normal to be normal? Of course!
Garrison Keillor – “all the children are above average in Lake Wobegon!”
Ok, so why do we have such a hard time admitting we are wrong? We all make mistakes, no matter what some people would like for us to believe. It is true, that most successful people are more likely to be wrong now and then due to their ability of not being afraid to take risks. Great inventors, explorers, scientists, composers, etc. have made many mistakes or wrongs before they finally experienced success or “a right.” No one necessarily enjoys being wrong or making a mistake. Everyone, no matter what anyone tries to make you believe, is wrong from time to time. Being wrong, if you are not careful, can affect how you feel about yourself. It’s important to realize that being wrong and right are both normal everyday occurrences for humans.
I think if you have a difficult time admitting you are wrong, then you may be struggling with a self-esteem problem. The problem, it seems to me, is that you are uncertain about your self-esteem. You are lacking in confidence and satisfaction regarding yourself. Ouch! Perhaps, this is why we find children not owning up to their mistakes.
The young minds of children feel that their self-worth depends upon their self-esteem which depends upon being right. They, as young and inexperienced people, don’t have the experience of life to judge what is and isn’t normal. Hummmmm…. I guess that is what what Garrison Keillor meant when he said “all the children are above average.” :-)
You have a right to be wrong!
Perhaps, the main problem with admitting you’re wrong is a lack of humility. When you make a mistake, admitting you’re wrong and not allowing your pride to lower your self-esteem, are the two key factors in dealing with the “wrong” or mistake. This is not as hard as many think it is. Simply admit the mistake by saying something like, “I admit I am wrong and I thank you for correcting me.” Or how about, “You’re right, I was wrong about that. I’m going to learn from this mistake!” When you do this, you are proclaiming to the world that you are a normal imperfect person. When you do this, you give others the opportunity and permission to do the same. In fact, this so-called weakness of “imperfection of being wrong” can actually become enduring qualities of humility, dignity and lovableness.
When we openly admit we are wrong, we are doing the right thing – which is always more important than being right!
R2 Thoughts for You 