If hindsight could be heard it will probably sound like someone nagging, repeatedly. However, remember that with hindsight the event has already happened, the decision already acted upon.
We often have an avoidance relationship going on with anything we deem negative or unwanted. Sometimes, however we are too quick to put something on the negative list like for instance making mistakes.
Mistakes and hindsight are one of those things that go hand in hand – I mean, pause and think about this, how many times have you intentionally said to yourself, okay, I am going to do this so that I can make a mistake and be nagged by hindsight? Nothing comes to mind to me.
Well, that’s the point, it only becomes clear after the fact, when your expectations of your intention / decision doesn’t equal the actual consequences. You might find yourself at that moment reflecting and thinking that might of been a mistake, perhaps I should do it differently next time.
And that is the moment that you should watch out for, when that comes around, really connect with it and take time to understand what it is you want to avoid repeating, because if you dont, and you repeat the same action and get the same result, you are starting to make a clear intent to continue the same pattern of mistakes and frustrations with yourself.
And frankly you are worth more that! Don’t allow yourself to be caught up in this cycle, you are not a hamster stuck in a cage with only a wheel to amuse yourself 😉
So how could this look practically?
1. You start to hear that nagging voice in your head also known as hindsight 🙂
2. Listen to it BUT don’t get yourself into a debating match about it. Just get the facts.
3. Can you find a pattern? Have you done something similar before?
4. Either way, this is the moment to break the existing pattern or ensure you don’t start the pattern.
5. Grab a pen and paper and find a few moments of solitude.
6. Set out what you expected the outcome of your actions to be and set out what actually happened.
7. Without blaming anyone (stick to the facts), reflect on what you can do differently next time (even one small thing) before you make your decision to act. Think of it almost like a tweak. So, for e.g. you might next time, think about who would be impacted by what you are doing and ask them how they would feel about the action – this would help you know beforehand their reaction.
May your repetitions be few 🙂