--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To make a mistake is only human; to…" description: "\"“To make a mistake is only human; to persist in a mistake is idiotic.”\" — Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg" --- # To make a mistake is only human; to persist in a mistake… ![“To make a mistake is only human; to persist in a mistake is idiotic.” quote by Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg) > ““To make a mistake is only human; to persist in a mistake is idiotic.”” [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mistakes are inevitable, but refusing to correct them shows foolishness. **In simple terms:** Human error vs stubbornness Key Takeaway Correct errors promptly Themes humility wisdom self-awareness growth critical thinking Mood reflective cautious Type maxim proverb When to use this quote - making a strategic decision - learning a new skill - managing a project - leading a team Key Concepts error correction personal responsibility Practical Applications - coaching - process improvement Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you from correcting mistakes? - How can you foster a culture that values error correction? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Idiotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiotic/) [Make Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-mistake/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-human-708450/) [Mistake Idiotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-idiotic-708449/) [Persist Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persist-mistake-708451/) ## Related quotes > [FORGIVE… You also make A mistake once and we are all HUMAN...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/forgive-you-also-make-a-mistake-once-and-we-are-all-human/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [To err is human, but to persist in the mistake is ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glover-teixeira/to-err-is-human-but-to-persist-in-the-mistake-is-ugly/) [Glover Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glover-teixeira/) > [“errare humanum est, sed perseverare diabolicum: 'to err is human, but to persist (in the mistake) is diabolical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-annaeus-seneca/errare-humanum-est-sed-perseverare-diabolicum-to-err-is-human-but-to/) [Lucius Annaeus Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-annaeus-seneca/) > [The Greatest Mistake We Human Make In 0ur Relationship...! We Listen Half... Understand Quarter Think Zer0... And React Double](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-greatest-mistake-we-human-make-in-0ur-relationship-we-listen-half/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I made mistakes, I drank too much, I smoked some crack some time. What can I say? I made a mistake, I’m human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-ford/i-made-mistakes-i-drank-too-much-i-smoked-some-crack-some-time-what/) [Rob Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-ford/) > [The biggest mistake by most human beings,listening half,understanding quarter,telling double.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-mistake-by-most-human-beings-listening-half-understanding-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Man is a ‘jar of mistakes’, dear Giulia; as we have made a mistake, we are human; this proves it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/man-is-a-jar-of-mistakes-dear-giulia-as-we-have-made-a-mistake-we-are/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The biggest mistake by most human beings. Listening half, understanding quater, telling double.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/the-biggest-mistake-by-most-human-beings-listening-half-understanding/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [The most difficult days have been the ones I've had to spend correcting a mistake. We're all human, and we make errors in spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mason/the-most-difficult-days-have-been-the-ones-i-ve-had-to-spend/) [Mark Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mason/) > [If you don't deal with your shadows, you are condemned to repeat the same mistake over and over, as a human being or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-villeneuve/if-you-don-t-deal-with-your-shadows-you-are-condemned-to-repeat-the/) [Denis Villeneuve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-villeneuve/) > [How many times do we pay for one mistake? The answer is a thousand times for the same mistake. The human is the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/how-many-times-do-we-pay-for-one-mistake-the-answer-is-a-thousand/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [The greatest mistake ,we human make in our relationship: We listen half,understand quarter,think zero and react double.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-mistake-we-human-make-in-our-relationship-we-listen-half/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you make a mistake, you have to admit it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petr-cech/when-you-make-a-mistake-you-have-to-admit-it/) [Petr Cech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petr-cech/) > [My mother taught me this trick: if you repeat something over and over again it loses its meaning, for example homework homework homework homework…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-mother-taught-me-this-trick-if-you-repeat-something-over-and-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If loving you is a big mistake, I will never ever want to be right,i will always make the same mistake over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horla/if-loving-you-is-a-big-mistake-i-will-never-ever-want-to-be-right-i/) [Horla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horla/) ## More by Cicero > [“The countenance is the portrait of the soul, and the eyes mark its intention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/the-countenance-is-the-portrait-of-the-soul-and-the-eyes-mark-its-2/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Though, even if there were no such great advantage to be reaped from it, and if it were only pleasure that is sought from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/though-even-if-there-were-no-such-great-advantage-to-be-reaped-from/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Vivere est Cogitare”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/vivere-est-cogitare/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“My dear Scipio and Laelius. Men, of course, who have no resources in themselves for securing a good and happy life find every age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/my-dear-scipio-and-laelius-men-of-course-who-have-no-resources-in/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Speaking Latin properly is indeed to be held in the highest regard – not just because of its own merits, but in fact because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/speaking-latin-properly-is-indeed-to-be-held-in-the-highest-regard/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“There is, I assure you, a medical art for the soul. It is philosophy, whose aid need not be sought, as in bodily diseases,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/there-is-i-assure-you-a-medical-art-for-the-soul-it-is-philosophy/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“I conclude, then, that the plea of having acted in the interests of a friend is not a valid excuse for a wrong action.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/i-conclude-then-that-the-plea-of-having-acted-in-the-interests-of-a/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Historia magistra vitae est”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/historia-magistra-vitae-est/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Itaque inter omnis omnium gentium summa constat; omnibus enim innatum est et in animo quasi insculptum esse deos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/itaque-inter-omnis-omnium-gentium-summa-constat-omnibus-enim-innatum/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Omnia mea mecum porto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/omnia-mea-mecum-porto/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“What is sweeter than lettered ease?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/what-is-sweeter-than-lettered-ease/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Two distinctive traits especially identify beyond a doubt a strong and dominant character. One trait is contempt for external circumstances, when one is convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/two-distinctive-traits-especially-identify-beyond-a-doubt-a-strong/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things.” — Cicero”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/memory-is-the-treasury-and-guardian-of-all-things-cicero/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Books: our unfailing companions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/books-our-unfailing-companions/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) > [“Kindness is stronger than fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/kindness-is-stronger-than-fear/) [Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) [Explore all 23 Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To make a mistake is only human; to persist in a mistake is idiotic.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persist-in-a-mistake-is-idiotic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persist-in-a-mistake-is-idiotic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a7a/cicero-22721_failure_to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persi_49317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To make a mistake is only human; to persist in a mistake is idiotic.” — Cicero", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“To make a mistake is only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persist-in-a-mistake-is-idiotic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cicero/to-make-a-mistake-is-only-human-to-persist-in-a-mistake-is-idiotic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```