--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've certainly done some turkeys along…" description: "\"I've certainly done some turkeys along the way and made some dumb choices in my career, mostly early on. I'm one of the lucky ones who got to make a lo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/george-clooney-1132_attention_i-ve-certainly-done-some-turkeys-along-t_1510167.jpg" --- # I've certainly done some turkeys along the way and made… ![“I've certainly done some turkeys along the way and made some dumb choices in my career, mostly early on. I'm one of the lucky ones who got to make a lot of mistakes very early when no one was paying attention.” quote by George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/george-clooney-1132_attention_i-ve-certainly-done-some-turkeys-along-t_1510167.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/george-clooney-1132_attention_i-ve-certainly-done-some-turkeys-along-t_1510167.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/042/george-clooney-1132_attention_i-ve-certainly-done-some-turkeys-along-t_1510167.jpg) > “I've certainly done some turkeys along the way and made some dumb choices in my career, mostly early on. I'm one of the lucky ones who got to make a lot of mistakes very early when no one was paying attention.” [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career mistakes are framed as lucky learning opportunities that accelerated growth. **In simple terms:** Mistakes can be lucky. Key Takeaway Embrace early errors as growth fuel. Themes career development learning resilience Mood humorous reflective Type motivational personal When to use this quote - career planning - mentorship programs - startup pivots - creative projects Key Concepts Growth mindset error tolerance Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate lucky breaks from skill? - Can others replicate this path? A Different Perspective Not all mistakes lead to success; luck is uneven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Paying Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paying-attention/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [My life is a series of dumb choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-ramsey/my-life-is-a-series-of-dumb-choices/) [Geoff Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-ramsey/) > [When I started my career in the early 2000s you didn't have to be seen everywhere, every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/when-i-started-my-career-in-the-early-2000s-you-didn-t-have-to-be/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [When you treat your career early on really crappy, you can't expect to be in a good position. That's just the way pro fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cub-swanson/when-you-treat-your-career-early-on-really-crappy-you-can-t-expect-to/) [Cub Swanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cub-swanson/) > [Since I started my career very early, I have gone through the rigmarole of experiencing successes and failures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urvashi-rautela/since-i-started-my-career-very-early-i-have-gone-through-the/) [Urvashi Rautela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urvashi-rautela/) > [As I was going through the Bolton system, Jaaskelainen was a big part of my career. He was my early inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-ramsdale/as-i-was-going-through-the-bolton-system-jaaskelainen-was-a-big-part/) [Aaron Ramsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-ramsdale/) > [I started my surgery career early, at 11 years old when I was hit by the truck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-rodrigo-nogueira/i-started-my-surgery-career-early-at-11-years-old-when-i-was-hit-by/) [Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-rodrigo-nogueira/) > [When I think that I started this career so early, my case is not the case of an artist who becomes popular overnight and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/when-i-think-that-i-started-this-career-so-early-my-case-is-not-the/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [“The Rule really is: be kind to yourself when you do muck things up. Be forgiving and accept that it's all part of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-templar/the-rule-really-is-be-kind-to-yourself-when-you-do-muck-things-up-be/) [Richard Templar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-templar/) > [I think I made some mistakes, in different areas, but it's great to be working in a show again now, many years down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-clare/i-think-i-made-some-mistakes-in-different-areas-but-it-s-great-to-be/) [Dustin Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-clare/) > [There are different things I've done that I wouldn't do again that kept following me. That's the price that you pay when you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lane-kiffin/there-are-different-things-i-ve-done-that-i-wouldn-t-do-again-that/) [Lane Kiffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lane-kiffin/) > [Having made a ton of mistakes early on in my life, I hope people can look at me now and say that a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chipper-jones/having-made-a-ton-of-mistakes-early-on-in-my-life-i-hope-people-can/) [Chipper Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chipper-jones/) > [“Don't wait for perfection. Just start and let the work teach you. No one expects you to get it right in the beginning, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/don-t-wait-for-perfection-just-start-and-let-the-work-teach-you-no/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [Start in a small TV station so you can make all of your embarrassing mistakes early and in front of fewer people!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-sawyer/start-in-a-small-tv-station-so-you-can-make-all-of-your-embarrassing/) [Diane Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-sawyer/) > [The biggest mistakes, early on, involved foreign policy and involved the strategy for health care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-blumenthal/the-biggest-mistakes-early-on-involved-foreign-policy-and-involved/) [Sidney Blumenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-blumenthal/) > [I have made a few mistakes early on that I admit myself, and there have been times when I have gone over the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virat-kohli/i-have-made-a-few-mistakes-early-on-that-i-admit-myself-and-there/) [Virat Kohli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virat-kohli/) ## More by George Clooney > [I was very lucky to get well known much later in life. You need to have flopped quite a few times to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-was-very-lucky-to-get-well-known-much-later-in-life-you-need-to/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I enjoy going on motorcycle trips and stopping in small towns and enjoying drinks with the locals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-enjoy-going-on-motorcycle-trips-and-stopping-in-small-towns-and/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [The people I've respected most in the industry over the years - Paul Newman, for instance. I just loved the way he handled growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-people-i-ve-respected-most-in-the-industry-over-the-years-paul/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I watch 'Batman & Robin' from time to time. It's the worst movie I ever made, so it's a good lesson in humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-watch-batman-robin-from-time-to-time-it-s-the-worst-movie-i-ever/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I bought a piano once because I had the dream of playing As Time Goes By as some girl's leaning on it drinking a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-bought-a-piano-once-because-i-had-the-dream-of-playing-as-time-goes/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I've walked with very famous people down red carpets over to the crowd of thousands of people, and you'll reach out to shake their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-ve-walked-with-very-famous-people-down-red-carpets-over-to-the/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [There is something very unsettling about being with someone when they die. People say it's peaceful. It's not peaceful. It's the most personal thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/there-is-something-very-unsettling-about-being-with-someone-when-they/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [The script for this film was written 52 years ago by Edward R. Murrow, who taught us many valuable lessons about responsibility and always,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-script-for-this-film-was-written-52-years-ago-by-edward-r-murrow/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I've been working with Pat Robertson on Africa debt-relief, and we disagree on virtually everything except certain very specific, inalienable rights, and the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-ve-been-working-with-pat-robertson-on-africa-debt-relief-and-we/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [My grandparents back in Kentucky owned a tobacco farm. So, to make money in the summer, we could cut and chop and top and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/my-grandparents-back-in-kentucky-owned-a-tobacco-farm-so-to-make/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I don't like that man. Mr. Tall and Handsome, but I'm told he'll grow out of it. I'm surprised he's not here tonight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-don-t-like-that-man-mr-tall-and-handsome-but-i-m-told-he-ll-grow/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Shutting down the government is not how you make government work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/shutting-down-the-government-is-not-how-you-make-government-work/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [Any time I think I'm smart, I'm not. There's a great movie, Out of the Past, where Robert Mitchum says, 'I never found out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/any-time-i-think-i-m-smart-i-m-not-there-s-a-great-movie-out-of-the/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I just think there are a lot of celebrities who don't feel that they have a voice. A lot of actors come from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-just-think-there-are-a-lot-of-celebrities-who-don-t-feel-that-they/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) [Explore all 285 George Clooney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. 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