<human>: A while back, I was in what was basically a preliminary competition to go an international convention/competition. In my part of the competition, I made a small mistake that I realized right at the end of it, a mistake that ended up getting me 5th place instead of the necessary top 4. This kept me from being able to actually compete at the international level, and I beat myself up over this for months. I still went to this convention, but not as a competitor. When I got there though, I ended up meeting people who would have a lasting effect on me and had the greatest experiences I ever thought I could have. None of this would of happened if I competed, and I also had no chance at all of actually winning at the international level so in the end it ended up being the best "mistake" I ever made. There is more to it than this, but for identities sake I don't want to say more.

Can you give me a shortened version of the text?
<bot>: Made incredibly small mistake at a state level competition, couldn't compete at the international level as a result. Ended up having the time of my life and meeting people who I never would of met otherwise, arguably life changing for me.