5 common mistakes that even smart people make

5 common mistakes that even smart people make5 common mistakes that even smart people makeIf you believe that only stupid people make mistakes, youre as wrong as I was.The truth is that everyone makes mistakes. Smart people admit that. Stupid people do not.Whats more, the smartest and most successful people in history have made the most mistakes. Are those two things connected? I think so. This Albert Einstein quote says it allAnyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreI used to blame myself for making mistakes in life. I think thats how our society is. As a kid, youre punished for making mistakes in school and life. And because of that, we think its normal to punish each other as adults.But why would you punish yourself or another person for making silly mistakes? Most things in life are reversible and small (Im not talking about committing crimes or adultery here). What matters is that we learn from our mistakes.One of the best traits one can have in life is to be forgiving. You must go easy on yourself when you screw up. Same is true for the people in our lives. Alexander kleriker put it bestTo err is human, to forgive, divine.And when people really cross the line- just move on. No need to make things complicated.In life, there are lines one should not cross.If you keep yourself to a high moral standard, youre doing the right thing. And if you make mistakes? So what? No one is perfect.Here are 5 of those mistakes that smart people make. Remember that you dont have to make these mistakes yourself. Its better to learn from other peoples mistakes. They have made them, so we dont have to.1. Chasing moneyI recently readHow To Get Richby Felix Dennis, who owned one of the biggest magazine publishers in the UK. Contrary to the title, the book actually tries to discourage you to chase money.Many rich people will tell you the same. The funny thing is that we all know there is more to life than money. And yet, we make it our sole purpose. Dennis writesPeople who get trapped in the tunnel vision of making money think that is all there is to life.Theres nothing wrong with wanting to get rich.We just have to remind ourselves that making money beyond a certain amount has little impact on our happiness. But somehow, we get tunnel vision. Again, trying to get rich is not a mistake. However, it is a mistake if you expect that its the answer to all your problems.2. Ignoring sleepWhen you get excited about something, you want to spend all your time on it. Thats a great feeling.But when your excitement prevents you from having quality sleep, you want to change that. Its one of my biggest pitfalls. I can read and work all day long- well into the night.But even when I go to bed at 2 AM and wake up 8 hours later, I still feel tired. Somehow, its different when I hit the sack at 11 and wake up at 7. I feel much more energized.For the past year, Ive been taking my sleep more seriously. I wake up at the same time every morning. And I turn off my devices exactly one hour before I want to sleep. That means no work or heavy mental activity before bedtime. Just some light reading or journaling.3. Being connected too muchThe past decade has been great for technology. Almost everyone has a handy with access to the internet. Within a few years, the whole world will be connected. Even the less developed countries.Modern technology has changed the world. These developments are great. But remember that too much of a good thing becomes bad.That also applies to your smartphone, tablet, and laptop. Recent researchshowsthat Generation Z (born after 1995) is distressed and anxious. The American Psychological Association even say they have the worst mental health of any generation.One of the biggest reasons for their mental state? All the signs point towards their smartphones and connectedness. F or years, Ive been limiting my smartphone usage.And inspired by Cal Newports new book,Digital Minimalism, Im only getting more strict with this.4. Not exercising enoughLife is full of obligations. Our biggest obligation is to work. Then, we have family and friends that we spend our time with. We have bills to pay. Plus, unforeseen things happen all the time. A crisis at work. A family member that gets ill.Its all part of life. And when these things happen, its easy to move exercise down on your list of priorities.But after a while, you feel tired and weak. You run out of breath after you climb a few flights of stairs. You complain when you cant find a parking spot in front of the store. You dont want to walk. Your back hurts from all the sitting. Your trefflich grows. And you cant look at yourself in the mirror.Dont let it come this far. Break a sweat at least three times a week. And go for a walk on the other days. You will stay strong and fit. Plus, youll feel better.5. Being over confidentOne cognitive bias that affects smart people the most is overconfidence. When you are good at something, its easy to overestimate yourself.That doesnt happen in a cocky or brazen way. Overconfidence can happen to everyone. From many soft-spoken and gentle individuals to the most outgoing extroverts.Researchers have establishedthree waysthat overconfidence happensOverestimation- thinking that you are better than you are.Overplacement- exaggerated belief that you are better than others.Overprecision- excessive conviction that you know the truth.Lets be honest. How often do we think we can take on a challenge and later find out it was too much? Or that we can do a better job than our co-workers or competitors? And when we have conversations, how often do we think we know it better?Its the classic pitfall of smart people. But as you and I both know, the wisest people in history stated they knew nothing. So why are we still overconfident?I think one of the reasons is that you s top questioning yourself after you achieve some small success. Its very appealing to think youre better. Maybe thats the case. But it doesnt matter.The moment you startthinkingyoure better, youre already losing. When youstop questioning yourself, you stop learning. And only losers dont learn.Instead, rely on the things that brought you to where you are curiosity, passion, excitement, and most importantly hard work.This article first appeared on Darius Foroux.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people