On April 24, 2006, Japan Airlines opened its Safety Promotion Center, which includes an extensive display of articles and debris from one of the worst aviation accidents to date: Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashed into Mount Osutaka on August 12, 1985 which led to the deaths of 520 people who were onboard including the entire crew, leaving only 4 survivors.

The Center containing debris from the airplane as well as some of the passengers’ personal belongings, is open to the public and it, and the lessons learned from that tragic flight, are an important part of the mandatory training for all Japan Airlines’ employees (regardless of what their role is in the company).

This Center is basically a `shrine’ to the “bad” decisions made that resulted in the JAL 123 crashing:

Seven years prior to JAL 123 flight, the airplane had experienced a tail strike during a landing at Itami airport. For reasons that have not been revealed publicly, the Boeing technician servicing the plane that day had made a poor decision to splice the lower half of the aft pressure bulkhead to the upper half, which led to fatigue cracks that over the next 7-year period of flying stretched imperceptibly, until the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, on that fateful day in 1985 when the bulkhead ripped open creating a colossal hole in the fuselage.

According to research by Dr Christopher Hood, US Air Force personnel from Yokota Air Base were among the first to spot the crash site about 20 minutes after the plane made impact with Mount Osutaka on August 12, 1985, and were prepared to assist with Search and Rescue. However, the Japanese authorities at the time, inexplicably refused. Rescuers did not arrive at the crash site until 14 hours later. They found only 4 survivors. It was later determined that some of the passengers were still alive at the time of the crash and likely would have survived if rescuers had reached them earlier. They had likely succumbed to their injuries and exposure to the cold.

As sad and tragic as this incident is, it is interesting that Japan Airlines requires all employees to learn in detail what happened – the technical problems and the poor decisions. Indeed, JAL earlier this year, received an award for flight safety for the quick and safe evacuation of all 367 passengers and 12 crew members of  JAL516 on Jan 2, 2024 at Haneda Airport when it collided with a much smaller Coast Guard jet and ignited almost immediately. The emphasis on safety and learning from the past mistakes and poor decisions is credited with the successful evacuation and saving of lives on Jan 2, 2024.

Many people (including many corporations and organizations) want to quickly move on from poor decisions that result in bad outcomes.

Making a bad decision can feel like a failure or even a source of shame. But what if those bad decisions could be valuable stepping stones to better future choices? Neuroscience research suggests that reflecting on our mistakes and understanding the processes that led to them can improve our decision-making and emotional resilience. Here’s why it might be a good idea to revisit and even embrace our “bad decisions” from time to time.

The Science Behind Mistakes and Learning
Decision neuroscience has shown that every decision we make—good or bad—leaves a trace in our brain’s reward system, helping us learn patterns and recognize outcomes. Mistakes are powerful because they create a feedback loop, helping us refine our choices. When we reflect on what we perceive to be our mistakes, we’re engaging parts of the brain that process reward, memory, and emotion. This reflection strengthens our ability to adjust our strategies and avoid similar pitfalls in the future.

Why Revisiting “Bad Decisions” Can Be Good for Us

1. Learning Patterns and Avoiding Future Pitfalls
Every mistake offers insight. For example, if you consistently decide to skip a workout, thinking it won’t make a difference, over time you may notice a negative impact on your energy, mood, or health. Reflecting on that choice can help you see the patterns and underlying beliefs driving your decisions, making it easier to find alternatives.
2. Building Emotional Resilience
Reflecting on bad decisions can build emotional resilience by showing us that we can learn, grow, and move forward. Studies in decision neuroscience suggest that when we can examine our choices without judgment, we build a capacity for self-compassion. This self-compassion encourages a growth mindset, where we learn to see setbacks as temporary and surmountable.
3. Strengthening Our Ability to Regulate Emotions
When we revisit a bad decision, such as an argument that hurt a relationship, we activate parts of the brain associated with emotion regulation and self-control. Reflecting on our actions and choices (without getting stuck in guilt) helps us regulate our emotions. By facing our mistakes, we train ourselves to respond differently in the future.
4. Health-Related Examples of Learning from Bad Decisions
• Skipping Preventative Health Screenings: Many people put off health screenings, like mammograms or cholesterol checks, thinking they’re not essential. But when this choice leads to a delayed diagnosis, reflecting on it can serve as a reminder to take preventive care more seriously. Learning from this mistake can lead to more consistent health check-ups and perhaps save lives.
• Ignoring Stress Signals: Often, people overlook the signs of stress, believing they can push through. Ignoring the signs can lead to burnout or even health issues like high blood pressure. Reflecting on an experience of burnout can encourage you to adopt practices like mindfulness or regular exercise that help prevent future stress-related health problems.
5. Encouraging Better Long-Term Health Habits
Bad decisions often serve as reminders that small actions add up over time. For instance, reflecting on past decisions to skip meals, binge on junk food, or stay up too late can serve as motivation to adopt healthier eating and sleep habits. Each time you reflect on how those choices impacted your well-being; you reinforce a new commitment to healthier habits.

Embracing Bad Decisions as Learning Opportunities

Reflecting on bad decisions doesn’t mean dwelling on them with guilt. Instead, it’s about adopting a mindset that values growth. Whether it’s a small mistake or a big regret, every experience can be an opportunity to learn, grow, and make better choices.

How about you? Would you consider “enshrining” in some small way(s) decisions that you consider “bad” or that led to not so healthy outcomes? How might you do that? Please share in the comments.

Photo courtesy of Japan Airlines