--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After all, this is how you learned how to…" description: "\"After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn't just jump up from your crib one day and waltz gracefully across the room. You stumbled and f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg" --- # After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn't… ![“After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn't just jump up from your crib one day and waltz gracefully across the room. You stumbled and fell on your face and got up and tried again. At what age are you suddenly expected to know everything and never make any more mistakes? If you can…” quote by David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg) > “After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn't just jump up from your crib one day and waltz gracefully across the room. You stumbled and fell on your face and got up and tried again. At what age are you suddenly expected to know everything and never make any more mistakes? If you can love and respect yourself in failure, worlds of adventure and new experiences will open up before you, and your fears will vanish.” [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning from failure is essential; self‑compassion after mistakes opens new possibilities and reduces fear. **In simple terms:** Embrace failure, be kind to yourself. Key Takeaway Practice self‑compassion after setbacks. Themes growth self‑acceptance resilience Mood encouraging reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career setbacks - learning new skills - personal crises Key Concepts psychology mindset learning theory Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance self‑kindness with accountability? - What steps turn failure into growth? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on self‑compassion may excuse repeated errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Age Suddenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age-suddenly-965431/) [Expected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expected/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Learned Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-walk-474793/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-respect/) [Love And Respect Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-respect-yourself/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [New experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-experiences/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) [Respect Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-failure-1089704/) [Respect yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-yourself/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Stumbled Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stumbled-fell-1609353/) [Tried Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tried-age-1368293/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waltz/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Your face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-face/) ## Related quotes > [“Every time I stumbled and fell, something in me hardened, became worse. By the time I reached the castle gates; I think I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/every-time-i-stumbled-and-fell-something-in-me-hardened-became-worse/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“You stumbled, You fell, Right? Now! Get up, steady yourself. For, now you are stronger, and the road ahead clearer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sreedhar-iyer/you-stumbled-you-fell-right-now-get-up-steady-yourself-for-now-you/) [Sreedhar Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sreedhar-iyer/) > [You can't stop the aging process. There's only so much oil you can put on your body. I've always just tried to go with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-dickinson/you-can-t-stop-the-aging-process-there-s-only-so-much-oil-you-can-put/) [Angie Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-dickinson/) > [You can't stop the aging process. There's only so much oil you can put on your body. I've always just tried to go with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-dickinson/you-can-t-stop-the-aging-process-there-s-only-so-much-oil-you-can-put-2/) [Angie Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-dickinson/) > [We tried not to age, but time had its rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-tried-not-to-age-but-time-had-its-rage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She felt herself age suddenly, but also knew what she now desired: to reconcile and grow old in peace, and have the wit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/she-felt-herself-age-suddenly-but-also-knew-what-she-now-desired-to/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [“no man leaves where he is and seeks a distant place unless he is in some respect a failure; but having failed in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/no-man-leaves-where-he-is-and-seeks-a-distant-place-unless-he-is-in-2/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [Do you remember when you were 10 or 11 years old and you really thought your folks were the best? They were completely omniscient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/do-you-remember-when-you-were-10-or-11-years-old-and-you-really/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [No man leaves where he is and seeks a distant place unless he is in some respect a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/no-man-leaves-where-he-is-and-seeks-a-distant-place-unless-he-is-in/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [You expect success, you respect failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-norman/you-expect-success-you-respect-failure/) [Greg Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-norman/) > [When you experience bereavement at a youngish age, you suddenly realise that life is unjust and unfair, that bad things will happen, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-boyd/when-you-experience-bereavement-at-a-youngish-age-you-suddenly/) [William Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-boyd/) > [Respect your failure making the others respect you after](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-ramadan/respect-your-failure-making-the-others-respect-you-after/) [Ahmad Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmad-ramadan/) > [When you reach a certain age, suddenly there are lots of people younger than you, which is really startling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-you-reach-a-certain-age-suddenly-there-are-lots-of-people/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [Be the person you will be happy to live with for the duration of your life. Don't rely on your significant other, or anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/be-the-person-you-will-be-happy-to-live-with-for-the-duration-of-your/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Decided from this moment Don't rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/decided-from-this-moment-don-t-rely-on-someone-else-for-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by David D. Burns > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/i-had-the-fear-of-heights-when-i-was-young-along-with-many-other/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-attitude-that-depression-is-necessary-strikes-me-as-destructive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/know-about-the-brain-s-hardware-and-software-how-does-the-firing-of-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/there-was-nothing-dreadfully-wrong-with-me-i-was-just-upsetting/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/aim-for-success-not-perfection-never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“And most important, nobody could love or relate to you. It would be impossible to feel any love for someone who was flawless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/and-most-important-nobody-could-love-or-relate-to-you-it-would-be/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/negative-thinking-patterns-can-be-immensely-deceptive-and-persuasive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Many research studies, as well as my own clinical experience, have confirmed that severely depressed patients who appear very "biologically" depressed with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/many-research-studies-as-well-as-my-own-clinical-experience-have/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/assert-your-right-to-make-a-few-mistakes-if-people-can-t-accept-your/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) [Explore all 108 David D. Burns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) [Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) [Kevin McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mcleod/) > [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) > [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/) [D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/) > [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) [Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn't just jump up from your crib one day and waltz gracefully across the room. You stumbled and fell on your face and got up and tried again. At what age are you suddenly expected to know everything and never make any more mistakes? If you can love and respect yourself in failure, worlds of adventure and new experiences will open up before you, and your fears will vanish.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David D. Burns" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to-walk-you-didn-t-just-jump-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adventure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to-walk-you-didn-t-just-jump-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/david-d-burns-4607_adventure_after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to_2634008.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After all, this is how you learned how to walk. You didn't just jump up from your crib one day and waltz…” — David D. Burns", "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": "David D. Burns", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After all, this is how you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to-walk-you-didn-t-just-jump-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/after-all-this-is-how-you-learned-how-to-walk-you-didn-t-just-jump-up/#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 } } ] } ```