What’s the Difference Between a Choice and a Mistake?

The past few weeks I have been reflecting on the difference between a choice and a mistake. I have realised there is a difference and it has been important for me to see that. Subsequently – I wanted to share with you the differences and how to start being responsible for your own life.

What is a Choice?

A Choice is –

• “the act of choosing: the act of picking or deciding between two or more possibilities” – Merriam Webster Dictionary
• “an act or or the possibility of choosing” – Cambridge Dictionary
• “involves mentally making a decision” – Wikipedia
• “an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities” – Google

Examples of choices –

• You do not exercise, even though you know you need to – a choice;
• You eat on the go and eat whatever is available to you – a choice; and
• You smoke cigarettes and have lung cancer – a choice.

What is a Mistake?

According to the definitions of mistakes, a mistake is –

• “an act or judgement that is misguided or wrong” ~ Google and Collins Dictionary
• “an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc.” ~ Dictionary.com
• “If you make a mistake, you do something which you did not intend to do, or which produces a result that you do not want.” ~ Collins Dictionary
• “an action, decision, or judgment that produces an unwanted or unintentional result.” ~ Cambridge Dictionary

Some examples of mistakes include –

• You pour sugar on to your vegetables because you thought it was salt – a mistake;            
• You run a stop sign because you were not concentrating – a mistake; and 
• You forget to charge your iPad and cannot read your book as the battery is dead – a mistake.

The Difference Between a Mistake and a Choice

As you can see by the above definitions. there is a difference between a mistake and a choice. Remember – it also comes back to the intention and awareness behind making the mistake or choice.

Before you start criticising yourself, remember we have all made mistakes and bad choices in our life. The difference is are you willing to learn from them, take ownership for them and live above the line?

What is Living Above the Line?

As you can see in the diagram below, living above the line is about –

• Taking ownership of your life,
• Being accountable for it, and
• Being responsible.

It is recognising you have the power to change you and the results in your life.

Yes sometimes this is easier said than done (especially when you have had challenging situations occur in your past), however it is possible and is far better than living below the line. Living below the line essentially means giving your power away to other people and external situations. It is –

• Blaming others for your situation,
• Making excuses, and/or
• Living in denial.

If you are ready to reclaim your courage and take the next step towards freedom and opening your heart, why not join our Toolkit?