Understanding the Fear of Mistakes and Errors
Firstly, it’s essential to understand why we often fear making mistakes or errors. This is because mistakes and errors are often stigmatised and associated with failure, and we know that our thoughts and feelings are not always the truth.
In many cultures, we are taught to aim for perfection, which can lead to anxiety around failure. Although there is nothing wrong with striving to be our best, this creates a sense of pressure that can hinder decision-making and prevent us from taking risks. The good news is that we often worry about things we care about. By recognising the purpose of mistakes and the importance of reframing errors, we can focus on our processes or actions that are within our control.
The Benefits of Reframing Mistakes and Errors
Mistakes and errors can often give us valuable information about the numerous ways to improve and learn. When we take the time to reflect on our performance, we can gain insights that inform our future decisions.
This process of reflection helps us develop resilience and adaptability. Mistakes and errors can also sharpen our critical thinking and improve our problem-solving skills. When we embrace that they are a normal part of the learning experience, we are more likely to take on opportunities for growth without fearing failure.
“Setbacks are not reflections of our abilities but stepping stones toward improvement.”
Strategies for Reframing Mistakes and Errors
Have you ever wondered why some performances might feel slightly less or more pressured after a mistake or error? The weight we give to them is very significant. Reflecting on the last time you ‘messed up’, did you notice what happened to your performance afterwards?
For some athletes and performers, it allows them to relax, as the worst-case scenario we were trying to avoid has already happened. For those who feel more pressure after a mistake or error, there is often an intent to ‘make up’ for that mistake. This is very risky from a mental toughness point of view. More often than not, this will switch the internal focus away from the process to the outcome.
But what if I suggested that how we act after the mistake is far more important? It is common for performers to consider starting at 100% of the quality of their best performance. What ends up happening is that we try our best to maintain this level of performance for the whole duration of the competition or performance. This can often lead to rushing our processes or creating a sense of pressure due to the unrealistic expectations we place on our performance.
The Start From Zero Percent Approach
But what if I said the quality of our performance starts at 0%? And we work towards increasing our quality throughout our performance. At the start of all performances, we haven’t achieved anything productive or equal to what we know we are capable of. This means that any error or mistake would not detract from the quality or hard work we have already achieved. But what if I said the quality of our performance starts at 0%? And we work towards increasing our quality throughout our performance.
At the start of all performances, we haven’t achieved anything productive or equal to what we know we are capable of. This means that any error or mistake would not detract from the quality or hard work we have already achieved.
For example, say you are a tennis player, and you miss an easy cross-court winner during the first game of a match. Using the start from Zero Percent Approach, this feels normal. But when you start from A Hundred Percent not so much.
Mistakes vs Unfortunate Occurrences
Sometimes, just changing the label will get the job done. In high-performance sports, the words mistake and error are particularly confronting. Imagine yourself in a one-on-one meeting with your coach on Monday morning, and she opens with, “I want to talk about the mistake she made yesterday yesterday”.
A mistake can be referred to as an error or something we have done with a lack of responsibility or misunderstanding. Imagine you’re a basketball player going for a free throw and miss. This should be considered a mistake if the player closes their eyes and executes that skill incorrectly on purpose. But this almost never happens.
What is far more common in these situations is that the player tries to get the ball in the basket, but it doesn’t quite make it. This is not a mistake; it is an unfortunate occurrence. And sport and other performance areas are full of these.
An unfortunate occurrence refers to an undesirable situation or event that is not through lack of effort. We could consider it like this. Unless you intentionally try to do poorly, then it would be impossible for there to be any mistakes throughout your entire performance. But there will always be a bunch of unfortunate occurrences.
Conclusion
Reframing mistakes is a powerful mindset shift that can lead to personal and professional growth. By viewing errors as opportunities rather than failures, we open ourselves to a world of possibilities. So the next time you become fixated on a mistake, remember this. Was it really a mistake (lacking effort), or was it actually an unfortunate occurrence? And whatever it turns out to be, both are opportunities for improvement!
As always, if you need a hand, give us a shout.
The article insightfully highlights how the pursuit of perfection can cause anxiety and hinder decision-making. I would like to elaborate on the cultural aspect: not all cultures view failure as failure. In some cultures, mistakes and failures are viewed as opportunities to grow and learn, rather than as shortcomings. In Japan, for example, the concept of “kaizen” emphasizes continuous improvement, in which mistakes are seen as steps toward mastery. Similarly, in some indigenous cultures, the emphasis is on collective learning and resilience, rather than individual success or failure. Therefore, I would like to draw attention to the negative influence of culture, which can cause many athletes like more than a sense of not being enough. This pressure has led to the fact that currently in the world many children’s leagues (Poland and Canada) do not count points, so that it is not clear who is a winner and who is a loser. I admire this “from 0%” strategy, and think that if most people could follow it, the sense of failure might not exist at all. By adopting these perspectives, athletes can view mistakes as part of the process, reducing pressure and encouraging risk-taking, which is crucial for development and performance. Calling unfortunate occurrence instead of mistake is brilliant.
I appreciate the distinction between “mistakes” and “unfortunate occurrences” as it encourages a healthier mindset around performance. However, in high-performance settings, accountability remains crucial. How do we ensure that individuals take responsibility for their errors while still maintaining self-compassion? I believe a balance between self-awareness and resilience is key to long-term success.
The “Start From Zero Percent Approach” offers an innovative way to reduce performance anxiety. However, in high-stakes environments—such as emergency response or executive decision-making—early missteps can have critical consequences. How might this approach be adapted for fields where immediate precision is essential? In my experience, combining structured preparation with a growth mindset helps navigate these challenges effectively.
Reframing mistakes as opportunities for growth is a powerful concept, but repeated setbacks can still impact an individual’s confidence. Beyond cognitive reframing, what evidence-based strategies would you recommend for rebuilding self-efficacy after multiple failures? I’ve found that targeted skill-building and controlled exposure to challenges can be highly effective in reinforcing resilience.
Enjoyed this read – in my work recently I helped a football team reframe their thoughts about errors by normalising mistakes. Specifically focusing on the ‘mistake’ of losing possession, I framed how we have game plan points related to transitions – plans for when we lose or regain possession – that is how normal it is to make mistakes and lose the ball in football, it is specifically factored into game planning. This seemed to be effective in alleviating anxiety going into the next match.
An analogy I have adopted that is quite solution focused (e.g., scaling questions) and similar to the 0% idea here… in FIFA (or FC25 or whatever it is called now) your players start on 5/10 and actions nudge this score up slightly and down slightly throughout the game… no one ever starts at 10/10 or remains at this score consistently forever. Another way of freeing certain unhelpful performance expectations.
If fear of mistakes can lead to anxiety, could reframing mistakes as “unfortunate occurrences” reduce motivation for perfection? How do you balance encouraging resilience while still maintaining a high-performance standard?
This was another powerful article. I appreciated the shift in thinking from mistakes to unfortunate occurrences. This is such a great reframe. I also liked thinking of performance from a zero to 100 percent approach instead of thinking of it as 100 percent at the start. As stated in the article, we work towards increasing the quality of our performance as we go. When I think of performance goals and the way we practice, I like to think of those goals in terms of process goals first. We work on our techniques, we work towards mastering those skills so we are more likely to perform them in an actual game/competition or performance. As we know, things do not always go as planned in live performances. Being a martial artist singer/actor and musician I know it just happens. Thus, reframing mistakes as unfortunate occurrences during the game can help us stay mindful and move towards increasing the quality of our performance.
I wonder how the desire to reframe mistakes could also diminish experiences. Particularly with third wave therapies, i’ve had some thoughts about the utility of CBT and such modalities, when sometimes experiences or mistakes are just injuries. During periods of setback like an injury, perhaps acceptance based approaches should be more encouraged, although the line is always difficult.
The distinction between ‘mistakes’ and ‘unfortunate occurrences’ is an incredibly interesting reframe, particularly in high-performance settings where the fear of making a mistake can be what leads to errors occurring. However, how can an athlete balance accountability and take responsibility for their errors, yet also stay relaxed and self-accepting?
I really like the ‘mistakes’ and ‘unfortunate occurrences’ reframing. I believe this is particularly important in cricket where one ‘unfortunate occurrence’ can have significant consequences. For example, one ‘unfortunate occurrence’ in a batting innings may result in the player getting out, ultimately ending their opportunity to contribute any further with the bat. In my experience coaching, players can see getting out as a significant mistake but as stated in the article, no one is ever trying to get out – in fact, getting out is part of the game. Unfortunate occurrences are everywhere in sport and life, and I believe reframing these moments as such would be exceptionally beneficial.