“A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he wiser today than he was yesterday.”
(Jonathan Swift)

We’ve all done it, but none of us is great at it. We all love to hear it from others, but none of us like to say it ourselves.

Of course, what we’re talking about is this: the painful practice of admitting we’re wrong.

Why is it so hard to do? Does it feel like we’ve lost in some relationship war? Does it seem as if admitting this error is really admitting that we ourselves are the error?

I like how Jonathan Swift puts it: Admitting we’re wrong just means we’ve grown wiser. And isn’t that a good thing? Isn’t growth in practical wisdom among the very best things in life?

So, let’s you and me try it today. Find someone you know you’ve wronged, or someone you know is right about something you previously disagreed with, and tell ‘em:

“Hey, you know what? I’ve been thinking over the weekend about ____________, and I think you’re right about that.”

I can only promise one thing: growth.

Peace begins with pause,