Protect the pulse first
A missed chord becomes a larger interruption when you stop counting to correct it. Choose a familiar progression and deliberately omit one change while continuing to tap the beat. Let the previous sound end if it clashes rather than striking several guesses. Count until the next chord you know, then enter cleanly on its intended beat. On guitar or ukulele, a quiet muted motion can preserve your physical rhythm. At the piano, lift the harmony and keep the beat internally. The purpose is a controlled recovery, not disguising every mistake.
Find a landmark ahead
Follow the synchronized lyrics and chords and identify three obvious places to rejoin: a chorus opening, an instrumental entrance, and a final phrase. Learn the chord and beat at each point. Ask a rehearsal partner to call one of those landmarks while you play, then practice reaching it without returning to the beginning. If you are working alone, choose the recovery point before starting the exercise. Avoid selecting a word that appears in several sections unless you also know which repetition is approaching. A useful landmark combines sound, form, and timing.
Separate recovery from repair
Complete the run before investigating why the change was missed. Was the chord shape unfamiliar, the label incorrect, or your attention on the previous line? Each cause needs a different exercise. Isolate a difficult shape, verify an uncertain label by listening, or practice glancing ahead during a stable chord. Then repeat the recovery drill with a different deliberate omission. Keep the accompaniment simpler than usual so the exercise remains about orientation. Success means the next section arrives together and the pulse survives. It does not mean you must finish the song without noticing or acknowledging that anything went wrong.
Agree that other musicians should keep the established arrangement during this drill. If everyone changes direction to follow one mistaken chord, the recovery target moves and the group loses its shared reference.