I love watching how basketball players handle their mistakes. When a player commits a foul, they raise their hand to say:
“My bad!”
In the early days of basketball, players raised their hands so the record keeper could quickly identify who committed the foul. This simple action helped keep the game moving forward.
Today, referees have microphones to announce the foul and identify the player. Although no longer necessary, players continue to raise their hands when they commit a foul. It's a healthy habit to acknowledge a mistake as soon as it’s made.
That’s the beauty of accountability. The game moves faster when someone simply says:
“That was me. My mistake. My bad!”
Too often, my friends lose momentum when they make a mistake. They get stuck in the blame and shame game. They can't let it go. They replay their mistakes over and over and over and over again.
The game of life is much more fun and productive when we skip the instant replay and keep playing the game. No one wins when our minds are paralyzed by an endless replay of mistakes made.
We spend too much time revisiting what we said and what we did wrong. We obsess over what we should have said or could have done. We create elaborate stories about what coulda, shoulda, woulda happen if only we didn’t make a mistake. The voice inside our head won’t give it a rest.
Mistakes were never meant to be monuments. They are not the final story. They are simply opportunities to learn, grow, and keep moving forward.
Mistakes become our teachers when we acknowledge them and make a change. Momentum isn't lost when we own our mistakes and course correct.
Mistakes don’t define us. They refine us.
There's no need to punish ourselves for making a mistake. Regardless of the reason, raise your hand and own it. My bad!
There is nothing to defend or deny. Change what needs changing. Repair what needs repairing. Course correct the same as a basketball player. And if you can’t shake off a mistake, call a timeout.
A timeout gives us an opportunity to listen, reflect and check ourselves. Don’t just have an imaginary conversation in your head. Talk to the people directly involved. Have a real conversation designed to learn, grow, and do better.
Talk it out. Let your trusted coaches and wiser voices guide you to a better outcome. It doesn’t matter who is right or wrong as long as we are learning and growing.
Let the game of basketball be your guide. The game isn’t over just because of a foul. Acknowledge the moment and keep playing. Let the game continue and the momentum build.
In life, we are going to foul. We’re going to miss shots and make bad passes. We’re going to get our signals crossed and occasionally fall down. This is not failure. This is the game.
My Bad = Adjust and Trust
Trust your team to have your back. Trust your ability to learn and grow. Trust that a bad play doesn’t mean it’s a bad game.
Even the best players make mistakes. They raise their hand. They acknowledge, adjust, and trust.
Let’s skip the instant replay. Acknowledge a mistake and keep playing the game.
