I once read about a scroll used in Tea Ceremony that read, "Be rebuked, stand corrected and learn." This scroll always stuck with me for some reason. In learning, our biggest asset and biggest hurdle is ourselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grl9LDEtQGI
Last night I watched Sumo Spirit: A Storm From Egypt on NHK about Egyptian born sumo wrestler Osunaarashi (Great Sand Storm). There was this one poignant scene after he won his match that his stable master scolds him for pushing the other wrestler after he had already won the bout. The stable master scolds him for his bad manners and Osunaarashi tries to explain that he didn't know he had already won so he kept pushing. The stable master chides him and says, "It doesn't matter why, just say your sorry." In this case Osunaarashi wanted to be right rather than be good. In the Japanese style of manners when you make a mistake, the first thing you say is, "Sumimasen" (I am sorry). You only give the reason if you are asked, but that rarely happens. The two traits the Japanese covet over all others is humility and self-restraint. Here Osunaarashi demonstrated that he didn't understand either.
Regardless of who you are, the four hardest phrases to say are:
I am sorry.
I am wrong.
I made a mistake.
I don't know.
Be rebuked, stand corrected and learn.