--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as…" description: "\"Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man. If you think me wrong, be so good as to damn well say so.\" — David Gemmell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg" --- # Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man… ![“Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man. If you think me wrong, be so good as to damn well say so.” quote by David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg) > “Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man. If you think me wrong, be so good as to damn well say so.” [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting one's own fallibility invites open dialogue and mutual respect. **In simple terms:** Everyone makes mistakes; admit them. Key Takeaway Invite honest feedback. Themes humility communication self-awareness Mood thoughtful encouraging Type advice motivational When to use this quote - workplace reviews - friendship disputes - creative collaborations Key Concepts psychology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - Are you comfortable hearing criticism? - How do you respond when you’re wrong? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on humility can undermine confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Everybody has seen that I make mistakes. Every single album I have ever made is about love. But I am not going to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/everybody-has-seen-that-i-make-mistakes-every-single-album-i-have/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [I always push forward. It doesn't mean that I'll be perfect. I make mistakes -- but I learn from my mistakes, and move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-stojko/i-always-push-forward-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i-ll-be-perfect-i-make/) [Elvis Stojko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-stojko/) > [I make mistakes growing up. I'm not perfect; I'm not a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/i-make-mistakes-growing-up-i-m-not-perfect-i-m-not-a-robot/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I'm finding my way, and I make mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-m-finding-my-way-and-i-make-mistakes/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [Do I make mistakes? Yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/do-i-make-mistakes-yeah/) [Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/) > [I don't care a damn for your loyal service when you think I am right; when I really want it most is when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-monash/i-don-t-care-a-damn-for-your-loyal-service-when-you-think-i-am-right/) [John Monash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-monash/) > [Show me a man who makes no mistakes, and I will show you a man who doesn't do things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/show-me-a-man-who-makes-no-mistakes-and-i-will-show-you-a-man-who/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I have no regrets in my life. If not for the mistakes that I made I would not be the man I am today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/i-have-no-regrets-in-my-life-if-not-for-the-mistakes-that-i-made-i/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [It was my mistake in the first days of the electoral campaign. I understand the mistake. I don't accept that people who say, "Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matteo-renzi/it-was-my-mistake-in-the-first-days-of-the-electoral-campaign-i/) [Matteo Renzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matteo-renzi/) > [I do not believe in God, because I believe in man. Whatever his mistakes, man has for thousands of years been working to undo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/i-do-not-believe-in-god-because-i-believe-in-man-whatever-his/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-only-man-who-never-makes-mistakes-is-the-man-who-never-does/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything. Do not be afraid to make mistakes providing you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-only-man-who-makes-no-mistakes-is-the-man-who-never-does-anything/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [No one is more liable to make mistakes than the man who acts only on reflection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-de-clapiers/no-one-is-more-liable-to-make-mistakes-than-the-man-who-acts-only-on/) [Luc de Clapiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-de-clapiers/) > [Grateful for his mistakes, man should be the gods, because by overcoming the faults the stronger force is developed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-steiner/grateful-for-his-mistakes-man-should-be-the-gods-because-by/) [Rudolf Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-steiner/) ## More by David Gemmell > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“It seems to me, that you people spend a great deal of time talking about honour, but strip away the high sounding words and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/it-seems-to-me-that-you-people-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-talking/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [Makes no sense to me,' said Huntsekker. 'You don't know who is at your door, but you know the thoughts of a man twenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/makes-no-sense-to-me-said-huntsekker-you-don-t-know-who-is-at-your/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [I may be stupid, as you say, to believe in honour and friendship and loyalty without price. But these are virtues to be cherished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-may-be-stupid-as-you-say-to-believe-in-honour-and-friendship-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [When your life has been spent in one war after another for forty-five years, you have to be pretty handy to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/when-your-life-has-been-spent-in-one-war-after-another-for-forty-five/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [When healers yearn to kill then hope begins to die ... Evil cannot be overcome by evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/when-healers-yearn-to-kill-then-hope-begins-to-die-evil-cannot-be/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [I have discovered in my long life that there are many words and phrases which have more power than any spell of magick. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-have-discovered-in-my-long-life-that-there-are-many-words-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“Listen...You could spend a lifetime trying to understand the works of evil men. Their joys are not ours. They love to inflict pain, create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/listen-you-could-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-understand-the-works-of/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [ We are full of dreams \[...\] We long for the unattainable. We believe in the nonsense of fables. There is no pure love; there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/we-are-full-of-dreams-we-long-for-the-unattainable-we-believe-in-the/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [It is easier with strangers, for they touch your life but for an instant. You will not disappoint them, for you owe them nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/it-is-easier-with-strangers-for-they-touch-your-life-but-for-an/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [I don't know yet whether I fully believe in fate, but certain things do happen in a man's life that he cannot explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-don-t-know-yet-whether-i-fully-believe-in-fate-but-certain-things/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [If you look at any ancient civilization, they've all used fantasy stories to train the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/if-you-look-at-any-ancient-civilization-they-ve-all-used-fantasy/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [All men have talents. Some build, some paint, some write, some fight. For me it is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/all-men-have-talents-some-build-some-paint-some-write-some-fight-for/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“Never violate a woman, nor harm a child. Do not lie, cheat or steal. These things are for lesser men. Protect the weak against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/never-violate-a-woman-nor-harm-a-child-do-not-lie-cheat-or-steal/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“The truth? What the Hell is the truth? We're born, we live and we die. Everything else is just shades of opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/the-truth-what-the-hell-is-the-truth-we-re-born-we-live-and-we-die/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) [Explore all 201 David Gemmell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) ## More Bows quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [And yet, I do believe there is ultimately meaning in the chaos, and also in the doldrums. What I resist is not the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/and-yet-i-do-believe-there-is-ultimately-meaning-in-the-chaos-and/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [There are ceremonious bows that repel one like a cudgel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/there-are-ceremonious-bows-that-repel-one-like-a-cudgel/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [Pure essence, and pure matter, and the two joined into one were shot forth without flaw, like three bright arrows from a three-string bow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/pure-essence-and-pure-matter-and-the-two-joined-into-one-were-shot/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [Steadying herself with both hands on the table, she managed an awkward bow… 'Your Highness,' she stammered, head lowered... The prince flinched and cast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/steadying-herself-with-both-hands-on-the-table-she-managed-an-awkward/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God, first fill your own house with the fragrance of love. Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [I did archery when I was in high school. In our gym class we had two weeks of archery, and I remember taking the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barrowman/i-did-archery-when-i-was-in-high-school-in-our-gym-class-we-had-two/) [John Barrowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barrowman/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Remove but the temptations of leisure, and the bow of Cupid will lose its effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/remove-but-the-temptations-of-leisure-and-the-bow-of-cupid-will-lose/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Pain and pleasure, good and evil, come to us from unexpected sources. It is not there where we have gathered up our brightest hopes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/pain-and-pleasure-good-and-evil-come-to-us-from-unexpected-sources-it/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [A lot of celebrities just want money, fame, power, fancy cars, houses all over the world and have people BOW DOWN to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/a-lot-of-celebrities-just-want-money-fame-power-fancy-cars-houses-all/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Things don't always tie up in a nice bow. Even when you make strides with people and relationships, it's complicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-tveit/things-don-t-always-tie-up-in-a-nice-bow-even-when-you-make-strides/) [Aaron Tveit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-tveit/) > [I pray everywhere--in the shower, on a plane, in traffic, you name it. When I feel like I have had enough, I will literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-pray-everywhere-in-the-shower-on-a-plane-in-traffic-you-name-it/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) Browse all 739 Bows quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man. If you think me wrong, be so good as to damn well say so.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Gemmell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-well-as-any-man-if-you-think-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bows" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-well-as-any-man-if-you-think-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/david-gemmell-1821_bows_bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-we_3079786.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Bow to nothing, son. I make mistakes as well as any man. If you think me wrong, be so good as to damn well…” — David Gemmell", "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 Gemmell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Bow to nothing, son. I make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-well-as-any-man-if-you-think-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/bow-to-nothing-son-i-make-mistakes-as-well-as-any-man-if-you-think-me/#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 } } ] } ```