--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once - many, many years ago - I thought I…" description: "\"Once - many, many years ago - I thought I made a wrong decision. Of course, it turned out that I had been right all along. But I was wrong to have thou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/john-foster-dulles-17760_decision_once-many-many-years-ago-i-thought-i-mad_1270266.jpg" --- # Once - many, many years ago - I thought I made a wrong… ![“Once - many, many years ago - I thought I made a wrong decision. Of course, it turned out that I had been right all along. But I was wrong to have thought that I was wrong” quote by John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/john-foster-dulles-17760_decision_once-many-many-years-ago-i-thought-i-mad_1270266.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/john-foster-dulles-17760_decision_once-many-many-years-ago-i-thought-i-mad_1270266.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/john-foster-dulles-17760_decision_once-many-many-years-ago-i-thought-i-mad_1270266.jpg) > “Once - many, many years ago - I thought I made a wrong decision. Of course, it turned out that I had been right all along. But I was wrong to have thought that I was wrong” [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial doubt can mask correct judgment; confidence may emerge after reflection. **In simple terms:** Doubt may hide correct choices. Key Takeaway Trust your instincts after reflection. Themes decision‑making confidence self‑doubt Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - high‑stakes negotiations - career choices - personal relationships Key Concepts Psychology of certainty reflection processes Questions to Reflect On - When did doubt lead you to a better outcome? - How do you balance doubt and confidence? A Different Perspective Over‑confidence can follow doubt, leading to errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Wrong decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-decision/) ## Related quotes > [I'm never wrong. I once thought I was wrong, turns out, I was mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-never-wrong-i-once-thought-i-was-wrong-turns-out-i-was-mistaken/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most of my last 30 years have been like that. Results and manifestations of things I'd dreamed of as a young kid and wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/most-of-my-last-30-years-have-been-like-that-results-and/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [“I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive. A year ago, six months ago, I thought that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-have-no-money-no-resources-no-hopes-i-am-the-happiest-man-alive-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Yes, Virginia, I guess I am older that dirt. 1966 was almost a half a century ago. The funny thing is - The Monkees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duriga/yes-virginia-i-guess-i-am-older-that-dirt-1966-was-almost-a-half-a/) Duriga > [Somebody asked me if I could go back and start again with a different brain, would I. Years ago I thought yes, I would,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/somebody-asked-me-if-i-could-go-back-and-start-again-with-a-different/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [“She wondered if she would have tumbled into love with him during the past week if her heart had been whole, if her soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/she-wondered-if-she-would-have-tumbled-into-love-with-him-during-the/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [It was strange, really. A couple months ago, I had thought I couldnt live without him. Apparently I could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/it-was-strange-really-a-couple-months-ago-i-had-thought-i-couldnt/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Four years ago, who ever thought this would have happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-brees/four-years-ago-who-ever-thought-this-would-have-happened/) [Drew Brees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-brees/) > [“If you had left to go train an hour ago when you first thought of it, you would be done by now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-bramble/if-you-had-left-to-go-train-an-hour-ago-when-you-first-thought-of-it/) [Andre Bramble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-bramble/) > [Years ago, I thought old age would be dreadful, because I should not be able to do things I would want to do. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-astor/years-ago-i-thought-old-age-would-be-dreadful-because-i-should-not-be/) [Nancy Astor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-astor/) > [As I say, I have never in all these years thought of the matter in quite this way; but then it is perhaps in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/as-i-say-i-have-never-in-all-these-years-thought-of-the-matter-in/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [To be honest, when I was writing these stories a million years ago, I never thought about movies at all one way or another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/to-be-honest-when-i-was-writing-these-stories-a-million-years-ago-i/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [It is now the fall of my second year in Paris. I was sent here for a reason I have not yet been able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/it-is-now-the-fall-of-my-second-year-in-paris-i-was-sent-here-for-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“She had thought she had come to terms with the passing of that dream, but five years wasn’t as long ago as she sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-buroker/she-had-thought-she-had-come-to-terms-with-the-passing-of-that-dream/) [Lindsay Buroker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-buroker/) > [A decade ago, I never thought I would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/incubus/a-decade-ago-i-never-thought-i-would-be/) [Incubus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/incubus/) ## More by John Foster Dulles > [The United States of America does not have friends; it has interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-united-states-of-america-does-not-have-friends-it-has-interests/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [The principle of neutrality ... has increasingly become an obsolete conception, and, except under very special circumstances, it is an immoral and shortsighted conception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-principle-of-neutrality-has-increasingly-become-an-obsolete/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [The United Nations was not set up to be a reformatory. It was assumed that you would be good before you got in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-united-nations-was-not-set-up-to-be-a-reformatory-it-was-assumed/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [Economic and military power can be developed under the spur of laws and appropriations. But moral power does not derive from any act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/economic-and-military-power-can-be-developed-under-the-spur-of-laws/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [The United Nations represents not a final stage in the development of world order, but only a primitive stage. Therefore its primary task is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-united-nations-represents-not-a-final-stage-in-the-development-of/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [Somehow we find it hard to sell our values, namely that the rich should plunder the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/somehow-we-find-it-hard-to-sell-our-values-namely-that-the-rich/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [Of all tasks of government the most basic is to protect its citizens against violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/of-all-tasks-of-government-the-most-basic-is-to-protect-its-citizens/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [The world will never have lasting peace so long as men reserve for war the finest human qualities. Peace, no less than war, requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/the-world-will-never-have-lasting-peace-so-long-as-men-reserve-for/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [I wouldn't attach too much importance to these student riots. I remember when I was a student at the Sorbonne in Paris, I used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/i-wouldn-t-attach-too-much-importance-to-these-student-riots-i/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [Peace can be a cover whereby evil men can perpetrate diabolical wrongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/peace-can-be-a-cover-whereby-evil-men-can-perpetrate-diabolical-wrongs/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [Our institutions of freedom will not survive unless they are constantly replenished by the faith that gave them birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/our-institutions-of-freedom-will-not-survive-unless-they-are/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [In order to bring a nation to support the burdens of maintaining great military establishments, it is necessary to create an emotional state akin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/in-order-to-bring-a-nation-to-support-the-burdens-of-maintaining/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [You have to take chances for peace, just as you must take chances in war. Some say that we were brought to the verge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/you-have-to-take-chances-for-peace-just-as-you-must-take-chances-in/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [We walked to the brink and we looked it in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/we-walked-to-the-brink-and-we-looked-it-in-the-face/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) > [A capacity to change is indispensable. Equally indispensable is the capacity to hold fast to that which is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-foster-dulles/a-capacity-to-change-is-indispensable-equally-indispensable-is-the/) [John Foster Dulles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) [Explore all 36 John Foster Dulles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-foster-dulles/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once - many, many years ago - I thought I made a wrong decision. Of course, it turned out that I had been right all along. 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