The fear of making mistakes is often worse than the actual experience and repercussions from making them. That’s because mistakes and the pain they cause are necessary for learning.
One of our teachers, Venerable Ajahn Ofer from Israel once pointed out that, without pain, it would be too risky to leave the house because we’d have no way of knowing what’s dangerous and what’s safe.
The pain that arises when we realize that we’ve done something wrong is a form of wisdom arising and guiding us to a happier destination. That is why I say that fear of mistakes is worse than the making of the mistake. While admittedly painful, a mistake can be seen in a positive light because it is an opportunity for learning.
The best way to learn from our mistakes is to complete a meditation course because when we practice insight meditation, we develop our natural ability to reflect on our words and behaviour so that we can act and speak in a way that advances our goals.