One of the things I love to read online (usually on Twitter) is when people admit that they have been singing lyrics to a song completely incorrectly… and then come to the knowledge of it many years later. It’s usually a song from their younger years, and the true lyrics remain undiscovered until a friend points out their error in a somewhat embarrassing car ride. I have had this same experience with a former co-worker, Dave, who was more than happy to point out ALL my errors with Manfred Mann’s “Blinded by the Light.” But there may be hidden benefits to being wrong about things.
Being wrong may have hidden benefits
it’s funny how we will plant a flag or die on a hill for something that we are sure we know is the truth, only to be upended by the real facts. And it’s something we come by honestly – being wrong, that is. It plagues us, it follows us around, and the availability of the Internet or social media certainly hasn’t fixed the problem. There are still many ways we all are wrong about something, and it happens on a day-to-day basis.
However, I think there are some benefits to being wrong and the realization of that wrongfulness itself. In fact, the state of being wrong about something allows us to feel the benefits of society and other people. Meaning that someone comes alongside of us as a friend – someone who knows a better way – and who works to correct the problem socially.
Others can help us learn what by ourselves we might not
Bringing another person into the mix can offer alternative views or angles that we haven’t seen before, because we are looking at it one way: our way. We also experience the benefits of learning something through a memorable moment. It can be embarrassing or hilarious… regardless, it is now a moment of context that the truth is founded on! Lastly, we are offered a dose of humility; that can benefit us all. When we realize our own error, we understand that we are not an “island to ourselves” and that we require the help of others from time to time. There is something magnetic about someone willing to laugh at themselves, move their pride out of the way, and be willing to learn something new.
Your finances deserve an outside view as well
We can apply this same way of thinking to our finances, except that there are some unique challenges there. First, we must work through the social norm of living privately and not speaking about your income or how you spend your money – and certainly, not asking this of others. Because of that, we often make poor financial decisions in our own little vacuums for much longer than we belt out the wrong lyrics in the car!
This reinforces the importance of having a financial advisor in your life and finding people you trust – human beings – to help cultivate your financial thinking. An advisor can help you to continue best practices in your personal finance, but also learn from the errors you make along the way. Essentially, we create an opportunity to learn from our mistakes, giving guidance in the minefield of bad personal financial management. The checks and balances of a hand-selected group of friends and trusted professionals can redirect any financial disasters and save precious time for the things that matter.
If you’re looking for someone to talk to about your finances, I’m always here to help.
August 2019
