To err is to wander, and wandering is the way we discover the world; and, lost in thought, it is also the way we discover ourselves. Being right might be gratifying, but in the end it is static, a mere statement. Being wrong is hard and humbling, and sometimes even dangerous, but in the end it is a journey, and a story.
Interpretation
Making mistakes leads to personal growth and self-discovery.
This quote emphasizes the value of making mistakes and the learning that comes from wandering through life's uncertainties. It suggests that while being correct may feel satisfying, the real growth and understanding come from the trials and errors we encounter along the journey of life, helping us to better understand both the world and ourselves.
In practice
During a motivational speech to encourage embracing failure.
As a kid, I lived almost entirely inside books, and eventually the books started returning the favor. A lot of my internal world feels like an anthology, or a library. It's eclectic and disorganized, but I can browse in it, and that hugely shapes both what and how I write.
The point isn’t to live without any regrets. The point is to not hate ourselves for having them.
Our love of being right is best understood as our fear of being wrong
We're terrified of not having the answers, and we would sometimes rather assert an incorrect answer than make our peace with the fact that we really don't know.
Regret doesn't remind us that we did badly. It reminds us that we know we can do better.
Persuade thyself that imperfection and inconvenience are the natural lot of mortals, and there will be no room for discontent, neither for despair.
I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think that if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do.
Worry is an old man with bended head, carrying a load of feathers which he thinks are lead.
Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.
If you can wait and not be tired of waiting, or being lied about, don't deal in lies. Or being hated, don't give way to hating, and yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise.
Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.