Why mistakes are sticky (and how to let them go)

Mistakes stick with us. We replay them, analyze them, and sometimes let them define us. In dog sports, one small error can feel like a catastrophe—whether it's a missed cue, an off-course moment, or just a handling misstep. But why do mistakes feel so much heavier than our successes? And more importantly—how can we let them go?

Why Do Mistakes Stick?

Our brains are wired to remember failure more vividly than success. Psychologists call this the negativity bias—the tendency to dwell on mistakes while brushing off wins. It's a survival mechanism; learning from errors keeps us safe. But in the performance world, this bias can work against us.

Instead of helping us grow, our fixation on mistakes can:

• Shake our confidence in the ring
• Make us hesitant or overly cautious in training
• Create a pattern of self-doubt that impacts future runs

If this sounds familiar, don't worry—you're not alone. The good news? You can retrain your brain to process mistakes differently.

How to Let Go of Mistakes Faster

1. Reframe the Narrative

Instead of seeing a mistake as failure, shift your mindset:

• Old mindset: "I blew it. I always mess up when it matters."
• New mindset: "That was data. Now I know what to adjust for next time."

Your mistakes are feedback, not evidence that you're doomed to repeat them.

2. Use the 'One and Done' Rule

After a run, allow yourself one replay of the mistake—then move on. Write it down in your training log if needed, but once you've processed it, it's done. Dwelling won't change the past.

3. Balance the Scale

For every mistake you dwell on, make yourself recall three things you did well in that same run. This forces your brain to see a more accurate picture instead of fixating on the negative.

4. Shift Your Focus in the moment

If you mess up mid-run, your body reacts—your heart rate spikes, and panic sets in. Instead of spiraling, use a reset word like:

✅ Next!

✅ Recover!

✅ We've got this!

This helps break the cycle of negative self-talk before it derails the rest of your run.

5. Create a Post-Mistake Routine

Elite athletes don't dwell—they debrief. Borrow their strategy:

• Step 1: Acknowledge the mistake (without overanalyzing).
• Step 2: Identify one adjustment for next time.
• Step 3: Move on.

Your goal is to learn and release, not relive and regret.

Final Thought: Mistakes Are Part of the Process

No handler is perfect. The ones who look effortless in the ring? They've made plenty of mistakes—but they've learned to move past them. Your job isn't to be mistake-free; it's to get better at recovering from them.

Next time you find yourself stuck replaying an error, pause and ask: What's the lesson? Learn it, apply it, and let the rest go.