Kids being impulsive is predictable; the manner in which they choose to exhibit impulsiveness is not.
No parent 100% can predict what their child will do on impulse 100% of the time. Not even you. I’m sure if you look back at your parenting days, more than a few examples of your parenting mistakes and failures will come to mind.
If you really didn’t think you needed to tear him down to feel better about yourself, you wouldn’t have repeatedly returned to the thread for the purpose of doing so.
I feel fine about myself.
I own up to my mistakes, don’t whine about the consequences, and I don’t make heroes out of nincompoops.