Helping teens and adults navigate stress and uncertainty with more confidence | Training practitioners to join the mission
Making Mistakes as a Practitioner: Developing your Mindset as a Student vs an Expert
I think it’s safe to say that most people have some level of fear, intolerance, or judgment around mistakes, whether it’s their own, other people’s, or both.
And one area where I see it wreak havoc is among therapists and coaches. The idea of making mistakes as a practitioner can feel immobilizing because clients are often vulnerable and looking to you for answers.
We’re also terrified of looking stupid, especially when someone’s looking.
And yet mistakes are unavoidable in every aspect of life. My contractor used to have a pen that said “Measure twice, cut once.” Because contractors make mistakes regularly. So do waitresses, doctors, parents, Uber drivers, and bankers.
So the concept of living a mistake-free life isn’t on the menu for us.
And it doesn’t have to be. Because the mistakes themselves don’t matter as much as our outlook on mistakes.
If we think of ourselves as lifelong students in our work, rather than experts, we find a level of protection, composure, and growth that far outweighs the fallout of the mistakes themselves.
Adopting a student mindset allows you to recover faster, learn faster, and develop your strengths and expertise in your craft.
Your mindset – student vs expert – will ultimately determine whether mistakes grow you or paralyze you.
Your mindset – student vs expert – will ultimately determine whether mistakes grow you or paralyze you.
Learning to accept and handle mistakes gracefully will also result in enormous job satisfaction, professional confidence, deeper client connections, and protects us from stress and burnout.
In today’s video I talk about how I made a mistake with a teen client and as a result the dad called me in frustration. I acknowledged my oversight, and apologized.
He was expecting me to be defensive and was disarmed by my honesty and confidence (his words). He ended up working with me to learn how to move on from his own mistakes.
He changed, and it changed his relationship with his daughter, his wife, and his leadership team.
So while everyone makes mistakes, a huge percent of your clients struggle with them in a big way.
Learning to accept and roll with your own mistakes in life is a gift we can give ourselves and our clients.
Because if you can’t get over your own mistakes, how can you help your clients with theirs?
That’s what today’s video is about.
erika bugbee
I’m a global coach who works with teens, individuals, couples, and practitioners that are open and motivated to change.
