Even a dyed-in-the-wool perfectionist will tell you that we all make mistakes. Some are bigger than others, though, and if we don’t learn from them, we’re destined to make them again and again. This can obviously lead to a world of frustration.
Someone asked the internet, “What’s a mistake you’ll never make twice?” and an online community wasn’t shy to share the lessons they learned the hard way. Tuck into this collection of epic errors in judgment.
Lending money to a relative. They use your kindness to the point they expect you to just give it to them for free, since you’re more financially stable.
Trusting someone who already showed me their true colors.
Mistaking what I thought was ice cream for a delicious scoop of frozen turkey fat.
Mistakes have a funny way of reminding us we’re human; usually at the exact moment we most wish we weren’t. Whether it’s sending a risky text, trusting the wrong person, or trying “DIY bangs,” slip-ups are universal. Yet we treat them like personal disasters instead of life’s inevitable detours, forgetting they’re hardwired into how we grow.
Psychologists say we fear mistakes largely because they threaten the stories we tell about ourselves. We want to be competent, smart, in control, and mistakes feel like evidence we aren’t. That fear makes us hesitate, overthink, and spiral into imaginary disasters where everyone sees our flaws. Ironically, the fear itself usually causes bigger mess-ups than whatever we were scared of.
Assuming someone is my friend just because they act like one.
My friend’s girlfriend was really cool, I liked her. We hung out occasionally and she would call and invite me to do things. Granted, many of our plans got canceled, but she initiated most of our contact in that regard.
Three years pass, we talk often, especially on Instagram and fb. One day I loaded insta ans went to send something to her, but couldn’t access her profile anymore. I’d been blocked. I was also blocked on every other social media site we were friends on.
I saw that she and my friend had broken up, but I figured she and I were close enough she’d want to stay in contact.
My friend later told me she’d never really liked me at all, hated me in fact.
That woman faked a 3 year friendship and hated me the whole time.
Ignoring my gut when it says something isn’t right in a relationship/friendship. My ex taught me that even the person I love most can lie to my face and I’ll just accept it if I want it to be true.
Not thoroughly washing my hands after eating hot-hot-hot wings and then goign to take a pee.
Biologically, the brain treats mistakes like tiny emergencies. The anterior cingulate cortex lights up, shouting, “Something’s wrong!” while the amygdala readies us for embarrassment or danger. This alarm system worked great when “mistake” meant “eat the wrong berry and it’s all over.” But today it kicks in even when we simply miscalculate a group chat joke.
Thankfully, the brain isn’t just a mistake siren; it’s also a mistake sponge. Each error triggers neural rewiring, updating predictions and sharpening skills. It’s why toddlers take hundreds of wobbly steps before walking and why adults eventually learn to mute themselves before ranting on Zoom. Mistakes literally sculpt our abilities.
Being nice to those who don’t deserve it.
I thought this would be an easy one to answer, but thinking about it made me realize that I often make the same mistakes again. I do learn from them eventually, but yeah. Still hurts.
Anyway, one thing I will never do again after having experienced it one time: working too hard, thinking you can’t be missed and telling yourself it’s not too much, I can still meet the deadline. No! Slow down and discuss with your colleagues if they feel the same pressure. Work is important, but not ‘destroy your mind and body due to stress’-important.
One key take away is: if you’re working extra hours to meet a deadline and your family senses a bit more stress in your behaviour. Don’t deny it. Talk about it and do something about it.