Who are the biggest influences in my life?

Daily writing prompt

Who are the biggest influences in your life?

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For me, the honest answer isn’t a list of famous names, mentors, or heroes—it’s the mistakes I’ve made. As uncomfortable as that sounds, nothing has shaped me more, taught me more, or forced more growth than the times I got it wrong.

I’ve learned far more from bad decisions than from good ones. Success has a way of making you comfortable. Mistakes do the opposite. They make you stop, think, replay conversations, question assumptions, and look hard in the mirror. Every poor judgment, every wrong turn, every moment where pride got in the way has left a mark—and almost always, a lesson. Sometimes the lesson came quickly. Other times it took years to understand what actually went wrong and why.

My mistakes taught me humility. They taught me patience. They taught me that confidence without reflection becomes arrogance, and that being “right” often matters far less than being wise. They also taught me empathy. Once you’ve fallen on your face a few times, you tend to judge others less harshly. You understand that most people aren’t malicious—they’re just learning, the same way you are.

Looking back, I wouldn’t erase those mistakes even if I could. They shaped my judgment, sharpened my instincts, and gave me perspective I never could have gained any other way. They influenced how I lead, how I listen, how I parent, and how I move through the world today. In the end, the biggest influences in my life weren’t people standing above me—they were the lessons I earned the hard way, standing right where I was.

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