Limitless notes · 2026-10-19

Review a mistake in three questions

Everyone makes mistakes at work, in learning and in conversations. What helps is deciding what to take from it, instead of replaying it.

Wait a little, but not too long

Right after a mistake, it's hard to think clearly. Give it a few hours or a night — then look at it on purpose, instead of letting it pop up whenever it wants.

Three questions

• What happened? Just the facts, as if describing it to a friend.
• What did I know at the time? Judge the decision by what you knew then, not by what you know now.
• What will I do differently next time? One concrete change, small enough to remember.

Talk to yourself like a friend

Ask how you would talk to a friend who made the same mistake. Try using the same fair tone with yourself that you would use with them.

Close it

Write the one change down, then let the rest go. If the same situation comes back, you'll have something better than regret: a plan.

One habit

The next time something goes wrong, give it the three questions and one written line. Keep that line as a reminder of what you will do next time.