The Courage to Say, "I Was Wrong"

Owning up to one's mistakes is one way to easily answer, quickly resolve issues, build trust, and have a lasting relationship with those around us; unfortunately, that isn't the case in our world today. A lot of people did something wrong but are too full of ego and pride, and so for that reason, they don't own up to their mistakes. Instead, they look for excuses to whitewash themselves or blame others for their own misdeeds. Is this the way to go? And what would not owning up to one mistake cause? Below I'd talk about this, share a personal experience, and discuss how I believe we should behave as humans.

To be honest, humanity needs people who are accountable and responsible. As an individual, a friend, a colleague, a partner, a superior, or what have you, you must have integrity and the ability to be accountable for anything you do in life. Not being accountable can make people withdraw from you and reduce your chances of having people who want to work with you or be around you, and that's because they're scared of how your inability to be accountable can cause them great harm in the near future, and so for that reason they opt to take cover by staying away from you.

However, on the other hand, people are accountable and own up to their mistakes; such people tend to attract people towards themselves, and that's because they've shown themselves to be trustworthy individuals that would be truthful in the face of challenges and what have you. I remember a few years ago when I lied about not being the one who broke a piece of pottery at our house, and it was later discovered that I was indeed the one who broke it; for the next few months it was difficult for anyone to trust me around the house because of that singular lie of not wanting to own up to my mistakes.

But then, thereafter, I changed and began to become accountable by saying the truth and the like, and that won back the trust of everyone around me and also changed my reputation amongst those around me, making me get recommended to different things I was ignored for in the past when I lacked accountability.

All photos are mine.