I’ve messed up many, many times along my financial journey. I’m willing to bet you’ve messed up a time or two as well.

I’ll spend too much. I’ll forget a bill and have to face the consequences of the lateness. I’ll try to adopt a new positive habit and then find myself slipping in my diligence with that habit.

Whenever I find myself making a big financial mistake, I feel a ton of regret. I’ll usually find myself wondering whether or not I’m a failure and whether or not I’m actually going to be able to continue on a better path.

Can I do this? Can I really do this?

This is a thought process that I’m far from alone in going through. Almost everyone I’ve ever talked to who has challenged themselves to make a life change has made mistakes along the way, mistakes that left them second-guessing the whole process. They’re left with guilt and doubt and a sense that this whole thing might just be a failure.

It’s not a failure.

Mistakes are a normal part of anything new that we take on. We are not perfect. We make mistakes because we’re trying something different than what we’re used to.

The real challenge is to learn how to handle those mistakes and turn them from being setbacks into being tools for success.

For me, there are three powerful tactics for moving on from a mistake.

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