Image via Pexels Every financial plan I build has a place, unofficial but essential, for the client's mistakes — the business that failed, the market timing error, the years of overspending that nobody wants to put in writing. I used to think my job was to help people avoid these. Twenty-five years in, I've learned my real job is to help people build a plan sturdy enough to survive them, because they're coming regardless. A good financial plan isn't a fortress against error.

The next time you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up. Instead, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Mistakes are a part of...