Mistakes are for learning from, not dwelling on. If you muck something up, spend a few minutes working out why, learn the lesson, then move swiftly on.

Dwelling on mistakes, endlessly replaying scenes in your head, only makes them grow.

So the next time you find yourself lying in bed at night, cursing your stupidity or foolishness, it’s worth reminding yourself that, in all probability, the mistake isn’t that big a deal to anyone else. Too often we can be our own harshest critic and worst enemy. Let it go and don’t waste more energy on regrets than you need to.

Look objectively. Learn humbly. Smile positively. Then move on, wiser and smarter than before.

There’s a very good reason why you made a mistake: you’re human! We all make them from time to time. Which is why we should also be understanding and forgiving when someone else makes one.

Ever heard the phrase ‘When you’re in a hole, stop digging’? It’s the same with mistakes. Don’t give the mistake more power than it warrants by squandering precious time worrying about it.

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.

Oh, and if you want to be really smart, then learn from the mistakes that other people make, so as to avoid the pain yourself. (A newspaper is a good place to start, and it is one of the few benefits of reading them!)