---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest mistake a person can make is…"
description: "\"The greatest mistake a person can make is to be afraid of making one.\" — Elbert Hubbard"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/elbert-hubbard-510_afraid_the-greatest-mistake-a-person-can-make-i_2486215.png"
---

#  The greatest mistake a person can make is to be afraid of…

![“The greatest mistake a person can make is to be afraid of making one.” quote by Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/elbert-hubbard-510_afraid_the-greatest-mistake-a-person-can-make-i_2486215.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/elbert-hubbard-510_afraid_the-greatest-mistake-a-person-can-make-i_2486215.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b8/elbert-hubbard-510_afraid_the-greatest-mistake-a-person-can-make-i_2486215.png)

> “The greatest mistake a person can make is to be afraid of making one.”

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Fear of making mistakes prevents action; embracing risk is essential for growth and learning.

**In simple terms:** Being afraid of errors stops you from trying.

Key Takeaway

Accept mistakes as part of progress.

Themes

growth courage learning

Mood

encouraging optimistic

Type

motivational self‑help

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- creative projects
- personal goals

Key Concepts

risk‑taking self‑improvement mistake management

Questions to Reflect On

- What small risk can you take today?
- How do you learn from mistakes effectively?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on risk may lead to reckless behavior.

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[Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Great mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-mistakes/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Motivational running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-running/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/)

## Related quotes

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[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [I think a lot of people try to edit themselves out and I think that's a big mistake, because the person being interviewed is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/i-think-a-lot-of-people-try-to-edit-themselves-out-and-i-think-that-s/)

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> [Show me a person who never made a mistake, and I will show you a person who never did anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rosenberg/show-me-a-person-who-never-made-a-mistake-and-i-will-show-you-a/)

William Rosenberg

> [A person who never made a mistake. Is the person who never tried anything new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/a-person-who-never-made-a-mistake-is-the-person-who-never-tried/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

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[Delilah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delilah/)

> [It's not the mistake a person makes that defines them, it's how they react to it,and what they do to fix it. That's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-barta/it-s-not-the-mistake-a-person-makes-that-defines-them-it-s-how-they/)

Riley Barta

> [It's sad how the mistake of one person can screw up the lives of so many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/it-s-sad-how-the-mistake-of-one-person-can-screw-up-the-lives-of-so/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [“I’ve seen most of what there is to be afraid of in this world, and to tell you the truth, the worst of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/i-ve-seen-most-of-what-there-is-to-be-afraid-of-in-this-world-and-to/)

[Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/)

> [You can't think of everything in life your horse might encounter that might make him afraid so you'd better prepare em for it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/you-can-t-think-of-everything-in-life-your-horse-might-encounter-that/)

[Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/)

> [“Someone once wrote that our best friends are those who make us most afraid to sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-forrest-yawn/someone-once-wrote-that-our-best-friends-are-those-who-make-us-most/)

[Byron Forrest Yawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-forrest-yawn/)

> [The only way to get what you want is to make them more afraid of you than they are of each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/the-only-way-to-get-what-you-want-is-to-make-them-more-afraid-of-you/)

[Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/)

> [You should always do the things in life that are both interesting and make you afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/you-should-always-do-the-things-in-life-that-are-both-interesting-and/)

[Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/)

> [The worst mistake anyone can make is being too afraid to make one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-mistake-anyone-can-make-is-being-too-afraid-to-make-one/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Elbert Hubbard

> [The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-teacher-is-one-who-makes-two-ideas-grow-where-only-one-grew-before/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [The highest reward that God gives us for good work is the ability to do better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/the-highest-reward-that-god-gives-us-for-good-work-is-the-ability-to/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [Art is nothing; it's a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/art-is-nothing-it-s-a-way/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

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[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/so-long-as-governments-set-the-example-of-killing-their-enemies/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [If I supply you with a thought, you may remember it and you may not. But if I can make you think a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-i-supply-you-with-a-thought-you-may-remember-it-and-you-may-not/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 A conservative is a man who is too cowardly to fight and too fat to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/1-2-3-4-5-a-conservative-is-a-man-who-is-too-cowardly-to-fight-and/)

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[Explore all 506 Elbert Hubbard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

## More Afraid quotes

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

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[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/)

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> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

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> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

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[Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/)

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Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes

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