Congrats, Iainpoll! I've no doubt that everyone on this BBS has made a daft error at one time or another - better it be not starting an engine to landing with the gear up
If I think back to anything like that happening to me, I'm always trying to do things too quickly or am feeling nervous/uncomfortable with the situation. I was chronically nervous of using the radio to begin with and would not confirm or ask for things to be repeated or admit to not knowing where a hold at a strange place was for fear of looking stupid or wasting other piots time who are trying to talk. I have become very much more confortable with flying in general now that I feel confident to talk on the radio and to ask for information I need. I think the hurrying thing you just have to stop yourself and do things like actively saying 'check' as you go through a checklist etc.
I accidentially misreported my position to Shoreham on my qx/c leg between IOW and Lydd (was passing south of their overhead and wanted them to know exactly where I was because of the instrument approach and holding patterns)... I was looking at the wrong pier! I felt a bit daft but went back to them with a corrected position and there was no problem at all. Better than keeping quiet, I guess!
I have also been learning lots about navigation on my solo sorties - sometimes it seems, the landmarks/towns etc. you expect to se just don't get spotted. Sometimes they're under the nose, sometimes you just miss them, sometimes you're a bit too low and they go unseen. Trying not to get nervous and convince yourself you're lost as soon as this happens has taken some practice... but the first time I experienced this I felt very uncomfortable, I didn't want to make a fuss by calling anyone (stupid) and I started to get quite concerned about getting into a danger area or controlled airspace... this definately did NOT make me fly better! Fortunately, I spotted a landmark I knew well and realised that I was within a couple of degrees of desired track! I was relieve and went back to being as more relaxed pilot again!
I'm sure you need a little bit of this kind of nervce in order to be as serious about the task in hand as you need to be... but I agree with your point about relaxation. I think this point should be reinforced in training (my instructor makes me feel relaxed by his manner) as it makes abig difference.
Hopefully we'll all get to excahnge views at a fly-in after we'er all qualified (for those of us who aren't!)
Until then - keep these posts coming and happy landings!
Hersh