One of the easiest mistakes in life is choosing what feels good over what’s actually true. We all do it. It’s human. The truth can be uncomfortable, even painful. It can humble you. It can ask you to change. But if you build your life around things that aren’t true—things that just feel good in the moment—it will eventually cost you. Sooner or later, reality shows up with its arms crossed, waiting for you to catch up. And when it does, the people who loved the truth more than their pride are the ones who come out stronger.

Bad news that’s true is always better than good news that’s wrong. That’s hard to swallow, especially when the good news confirms what you already wanted to believe. Especially when the truth shows up after you’ve already formed an opinion, made a plan, or posted something on the internet. But here’s the thing: truth is the only thing you can build anything solid on. Falsehoods—whether they come from someone else or your own wishful thinking—don’t hold. They crack under pressure.

Now, not everything that isn’t true is a lie. Life isn’t always black and white like that. Sometimes what you believed was true… used to be. Or maybe it was partly true. Then you keep living, and you learn there’s something more. Philosophers have a term for this: a “truer truth,” or a “deeper truth.” It’s the idea that what you once thought was right might be replaced by something better—not because you were foolish, but because you’ve grown. That’s not failure. That’s progress. And in most areas of life—choosing a career, making decisions, navigating relationships—it’s not about truth vs. lies. It’s about aiming for the best truth you can find, even if it makes things messier before it makes them better.

One of the hardest things for people to do is change their mind. Especially about something they believed strongly at first. There’s this little voice that whispers, If you change your mind, it means you were wrong. And let’s be honest—nobody likes being wrong. But here’s the real truth: changing your mind doesn’t make you weak. It makes you wise. It means new information came in and you had the courage to do something with it.

Victor Hovland is one of the best golfers in the world—and he’s still not satisfied. Recently, he talked about how, even while sitting at the top of the game, he relentlessly chases improvement. He’s not interested in staying comfortable. He’s interested in getting better. That means constantly looking for weaknesses, even when the world’s telling him he’s doing great. He doesn’t let success blind him to reality. That’s what it looks like to love truth more than ego. Hovland’s not just winning—he’s learning. And that’s a mindset worth copying, whether you’re swinging a club or making life choices.

I saw the same principle over and over again in my career. I hired a lot of people, and I can tell you the best ones weren’t always the most polished or experienced. The best were the ones who wanted to learn—who were humble enough to say, I don’t know yet, and hungry enough to go find out. People like that may start a little behind, but they always pass the rest of the pack. Because truth-seeking is a skill, and over time it wins.

I’ve seen it in my marriage too. Lord knows Cookie has set me straight more times than I can count. I look back over our 38 years, and I say this with a full heart: if I hadn’t been willing to admit when I was wrong—and if she hadn’t been willing to forgive me—our marriage wouldn’t be what it is. Listening to her, learning from her, changing because of her—that’s not giving in. That’s building something worth keeping.

This mindset matters in choosing a career too. You might start out thinking you’re on the right path, only to find it’s not where you belong. That’s not a failure. That’s a sign you’re paying attention. What matters is not sticking with something just because it’s familiar or looks good on paper. What matters is telling yourself the truth about who you are and where you’re meant to be—and having the guts to follow it.

You can’t avoid every wrong decision. Nobody can. But the real mistake is clinging to a decision just because it’s already been made. Learning to let go of a bad call, a wrong assumption, or an outdated version of your story—that’s what makes you better. That’s how you grow.

There’s no shame in changing course. The shame is in pretending you’re still on the right path when deep down, you know better.

This doesn’t mean you should be wishy-washy, or change your mind with every breeze that blows. It just means you should stay open. Open to the idea that the truth isn’t always where you first found it. Open to voices that challenge you, not just the ones that flatter you. Open to trading comfort for clarity. Because the truth doesn’t always feel good at first—but it always takes you somewhere better.

If you can learn to love the truth more than your ego, more than your convenience, more than being right—you’ll be ahead of most people. And you’ll live a life that’s solid, one that holds up under pressure. Because it’s built on something real.

And remember: it’s only the beginning until it’s the end. So keep working. Keep learning. Keep changing. Keep recognizing the truth, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. That’s how you grow into the person you were made to be.