Describe a decision you made that was a failure. What happened and why?

When you provide your example, explain the reasons behind your course of action. If you tried to fix the mistake before bringing it to the attention of your superiors, explain why. In this scenario, a good reason would be to not distract others from important matters they were dealing with and that it was simpler and less exhaustive for you to fix the mistake yourself.

"Early in my college career, I had an overwhelming project. I suffered task paralysis, not knowing where to begin. A friend of mine suggested I tackle the biggest aspect of the project first, since that was what I felt most daunted by. It was good general advice, and I listened to it, even though this caused me to lose focus on the priorities of the project. Just about every other aspect of the project held a greater priority. As a result, I didn't manage my time right and should have approached the project differently. I promised my professor I'd beat my deadline by a week. I missed that target. I delivered on time, within minutes of my deadline, but saw it as a personal failure since I didn't exceed it. I never made the mistake of over-promising and under-delivering again."