Being wrong sucks. I don’t like feeling dumb. I hate it when someone shows me something I did or said wrong. I fight it. I often continue an argument just so I don’t feel dumb.

Sometimes I’m right and it’s awesome. This means I’m clearly awesome and my self-worth counter can be incremented.

But I’m wrong a lot. I’m wrong about a lot of things.

My self-worth counter shouldn’t be tied to things I’m right about. There are an infinite number of things I don’t know. My self-worth shouldn’t be dependent upon such an unattainable, mentally crushing goal.

I can learn new things while not okay with being wrong, but it’s an extra, completely unnecessary barrier to learning. It makes learning harder.

When I accept that I’m wrong–or that I might be wrong–I learn faster. I solve problems more quickly. Arguments and disagreements practically resolve themselves when I can admit fault and be okay with it.

I’m learning to be okay with being wrong.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning to be okay with being wrong. It’s not fun to be wrong.