Don’t be afraid to make a mistake.

Overwhelm is a frequent topic of discussion among writers, as evidenced by last month’s blog post, “Are you feeling overwhelmed with publishing your book?”

Family and job responsibilities can contribute to it. A lot of things have to be done, and we look at it and think, “This is impossible.”

But that simply forces us to look at the problem rather than empowering us to open ourselves to the solution.

Making a Mistake

Oftentimes, underlying our overwhelm is the subtle fear of making a mistake. It can feel like stepping off a cliff. And that fear can paralyze us. Then we end up making no decision and staying in our overwhelm.

I’ve been there. Back in 2004 I was very discontent with my life. I spent six or more months seeking God, examining myself, and contemplating change.

I ended up with a long list of options—all of which seemed impossible (discussion about impossible is for another day) or nearly so. I was afraid to make the wrong decision, thus I stayed in the status quo.

Many of us are afraid to make the wrong decision. A driving force in our live is for safety and security; that’s how most of us have been raised, and it’s part of our biological makeup (the instinct for survival). Making a mistake puts that at risk.

After months of thought, I realized if I didn’t make a decision about my life, my life would stay the same as it was. I had to get to the point of accepting that if I made a mistake, it was okay and I’d do what I could to fix it.

Once I made a decision about my direction, everything fell into place and I was able to move forward.

It’s okay to make mistakes. They’re a part of life. It’s how we learn and grow. Unfortunately, many people grew up being punished in some way when they made a mistake rather than being guided on how to learn from it.

Making a Decision

Don’t let the idea of making a mistake stop you, because mistakes often lead to something better.

You can’t move forward until you make a decision.

What is it you desire to do?

• Be a missionary?
• Raise a family?
• Write a book?
• Be an actor?

Let your desire guide you. Then make the decision “I am going to do _______ (you fill in the blank).” The how-to-do it will come, usually one step at a time, once you’ve made your decision. Just step out.

And as I stated last month, take one thing at a time. Poke little holes in that big project and it is less likely to overwhelm you.

For more on how our beliefs affect our behavior, read “Are you trying to reach your goals?” and “How do mind-set and beliefs help me reach my goals?”

What lesson(s) have you learned from a mistake you made? How did you turn it around? Leave your answer in the comments so others can learn from your experience.