--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Doing something totally new is tricky. If…" description: "\"Doing something totally new is tricky. If you are second - and if you are smart - you can learn from the first person's mistakes.\" — Esther Dyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/esther-dyson-8125_failure_doing-something-totally-new-is-tricky-if_1208746.jpg" --- # Doing something totally new is tricky. If you are second… ![“Doing something totally new is tricky. If you are second - and if you are smart - you can learn from the first person's mistakes.” quote by Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/esther-dyson-8125_failure_doing-something-totally-new-is-tricky-if_1208746.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/esther-dyson-8125_failure_doing-something-totally-new-is-tricky-if_1208746.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6eb/esther-dyson-8125_failure_doing-something-totally-new-is-tricky-if_1208746.jpg) > “Doing something totally new is tricky. If you are second - and if you are smart - you can learn from the first person's mistakes.” [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She advises learning from others' mistakes when tackling novel challenges, emphasizing mentorship. **In simple terms:** Learn from the first person's errors. Key Takeaway Seek guidance when trying new things. Themes learning innovation mentorship Mood inspirational practical Type business personal When to use this quote - startup launches - skill acquisition - project planning Key Concepts error analysis knowledge transfer Questions to Reflect On - Who can you ask for feedback? - What mistakes can you anticipate? A Different Perspective Mentors may have outdated advice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [First person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-person/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learn Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-person-1227583/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Person Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-mistakes-2698031/) [Second Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-smart-3654322/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Tricky Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tricky-second-3654321/) ## Related quotes > [The attitude of Communists towards any person who has made mistakes in his work should be one of persuasion in order to help him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-attitude-of-communists-towards-any-person-who-has-made-mistakes/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [“You can't lift a relationship up if you keep walking over the other person's mistakes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/you-can-t-lift-a-relationship-up-if-you-keep-walking-over-the-other/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [“Sometimes you have to look past a person’s mistakes to see God’s presence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sometimes-you-have-to-look-past-a-person-s-mistakes-to-see-god-s/) [Shannon L. 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Because mistakes define who will accept you in behalf of mistakes you've done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mistakes-doesn-t-define-what-kind-of-person-you-are-because-mistakes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Contrary to what you may have heard from Henry Rollins or/and Ian MacKaye and/or anyone else who joined a band after working in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/contrary-to-what-you-may-have-heard-from-henry-rollins-or-and-ian/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [“There are some lessons you can never find in a classroom, hence you need to learn from every person and every situation that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/there-are-some-lessons-you-can-never-find-in-a-classroom-hence-you/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) ## More by Esther Dyson > [Since I became chairman, I've tried to turn EFF into civil liberties and responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/since-i-became-chairman-i-ve-tried-to-turn-eff-into-civil-liberties/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [Owning the intellectual property is like owning land: You need to keep investing in it again and again to get a payoff; you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/owning-the-intellectual-property-is-like-owning-land-you-need-to-keep/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [Don't leave hold of your common sense. 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I believe death for humans is the way of getting rid of accumulated errors - as in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/i-am-not-in-favor-of-immortality-i-believe-death-for-humans-is-the/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [We had made a - sort of a national decision that we wanted to be this intellectual property country, where we would have things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/we-had-made-a-sort-of-a-national-decision-that-we-wanted-to-be-this/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) [Explore all 84 Esther Dyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) ## 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. 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