How to Never Make the Same Mistake Twice!
my all-time favorite life hack; plus 11 fun links, including dancing sweaters, genius gift-giving rules, and this month's GIVEAWAY!
My favorite way to improve my life is a hack I’ve been using since childhood: after doing something notable (like taking an exam, hosting an event, playing in a tennis tournament, or going on a trip), I write a detailed list of lessons learned.
I include everything that worked well and everything that didn’t, often with specific suggestions for future improvement. Then, when it’s time to do that thing again, I consult my list to ensure I incorporate what I’ve learned, plan for positive adjustments, and avoid repeat mistakes.
This trick is powerful because every part of our lives—from studying and dating to working and parenting—is filled with recurrent experiences.
It’s particularly helpful for annual traditions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and other family get-togethers. For example, Jenny Rosenstrach keeps detailed notes on each Thanksgiving meal to improve the next year’s gathering.
I use it for everything from outfits that work best for each season to packing lists, effective speeches, and, when I was younger, how to avoid dating inappropriate men! And so much more, including doing better as a parent, wife, and friend.
To ensure I can find them easily, I keep all my lessons-learned lists in the same place: the Notes app on my phone. This way, I have a cheat sheet of dos and don’ts to use for the important events in my life—and I don’t have to rely on my memory.
Keeping lessons learned lists has worked for me for decades! Do you make lists of “lessons learned” that you consult regularly? Is this something you’d try?
We’re nearing the end of November, which means it’s time for the Happy on Purpose monthly giveaway! All paid subscribers automatically go into the draw and can vote below on which of this month’s most-clicked items will be the prize.
If you’re not a paid subscriber and would like to enter, upgrade your subscription now for $30/year. I’ll notify the lucky winner on Tuesday, November 25.
