Be Wrong More Often

This might sound like bad advice, and maybe it is, that’s for you to judge. Nonetheless I want to encourage you to be wrong more often. I already know what you’re thinking - Isn’t being wrong a bad thing? The answer is both yes and no. Yes, because it shows that you’re not quite where you thought you were in your understanding of something. But more importantly, no, being wrong is not always a bad thing. In fact it’s often not a bad thing.

First being wrong means you’re putting yourself out there. You’re stepping into uncomfortable territory and acting boldly and decisively in it. I’m not inviting you to be out of place, but sometimes a little confidence in times of doubt can go a long way. With that perspective, being wrong is not entirely a bad thing because it demonstrates your intent to be right in big and new ways.

Then second, believe it or not “being wrong” is subjective for many people. And that means that not everyone is willing to admit that they were wrong. This is because they want to protect themselves from the emotional and relational consequences of it, so they simply don’t expose themselves to the possibility of being wrong. However, when you do accept that you were wrong, it means you’re open-minded and open to feedback. You’re not the person that refuses to admit they’re wrong even when it’s clear they are, and therefore you benefit from the experience and use the error to learn.

The summary is - Being wrong can actually be a good thing because it represents your intent to put yourself out there and remain open to learning and growing. For that reason, if it really is a good thing, I invite you to be wrong more often.