--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would much rather be found guilty of…" description: "\"I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being even a little bit insincere.\" — John Quincy Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png" --- # I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious… ![“I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being even a little bit insincere.” quote by John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png) > “I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being even a little bit insincere.” [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing honesty over flawless judgment reflects a value of integrity over perfection. **In simple terms:** Better to admit mistakes honestly than appear insincere. Key Takeaway Prioritize sincerity over flawless decisions. Themes integrity honesty judgment ethics Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political decisions - business negotiations - personal relationships - public statements Key Concepts moral philosophy personal accountability leadership Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to admit a mistake? - How does sincerity affect trust? A Different Perspective Risk of being perceived as incompetent if errors are frequent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Serious mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-mistakes/) ## Related quotes > [A mistake in judgment isn't fatal, but too much anxiety about judgment is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-kael/a-mistake-in-judgment-isn-t-fatal-but-too-much-anxiety-about-judgment/) [Pauline Kael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-kael/) > [Knowledge being to be had only of visible and certain truth, error is not a fault of our knowledge, but a mistake of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/knowledge-being-to-be-had-only-of-visible-and-certain-truth-error-is/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Living a life of service, rather than one of expression, is a serious mistake, because expressing who we really are is the greatest service…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-hanks/living-a-life-of-service-rather-than-one-of-expression-is-a-serious/) Kurt Hanks > [Fanaticism in many lands has surfaced as the greatest threat to the world. 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I don't think American troops should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-would-not-use-american-ground-forces-in-syria-i-think-that-would-be/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When we follow our hearts, we follow the path of lessons we were meant to take and gain knowledge from. Sometimes the heart conquers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/when-we-follow-our-hearts-we-follow-the-path-of-lessons-we-were-meant/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music instead of preceding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-boulanger/as-far-as-the-execution-is-concerned-the-most-frequent-and-most/) [Nadia Boulanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-boulanger/) > [The defensive (or passive) investor will place chief emphasis on the avoidance of serious mistakes or losses. 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And perhaps part of our pessimism comes because we are too close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-l-evans/too-much-pessimism-has-led-too-many-men-into-making-serious-mistakes/) [Richard L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-l-evans/) ## More by John Quincy Adams > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ ...he \[Muhammad\] declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind...The precept of the Koran is,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/he-muhammad-declared-undistinguishing-and-exterminating-war-as-a-part/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [There still remains one effort of magnanimity, one sacrifice of prejudice and passion, to be made by the individuals throughout the nation who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/there-still-remains-one-effort-of-magnanimity-one-sacrifice-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [To live without having a Cicero and a Tacitus at hand seems to me as if it was aprivation of one of my limbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/to-live-without-having-a-cicero-and-a-tacitus-at-hand-seems-to-me-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [ The Law given from Sinai \[The Ten Commandments\] was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-law-given-from-sinai-the-ten-commandments-was-a-civil-and/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Whoever tells the best story wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/whoever-tells-the-best-story-wins/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will be America's heart, her benedictions and her prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/wherever-the-standard-of-freedom-and-independence-has-been-or-shall/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The gigantic intellect, the envious temper, the ravenous ambition and the rotten heart of Daniel Webster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-gigantic-intellect-the-envious-temper-the-ravenous-ambition-and/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“If the fundamental principles in the Declaration of Independence, as self-evident truths, are real truths, the existence of slavery, in any form, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/if-the-fundamental-principles-in-the-declaration-of-independence-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Individual liberty is individual power, and as the power of a community is a mass compounded of individual powers, the nation which enjoys the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/individual-liberty-is-individual-power-and-as-the-power-of-a/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Of all persecuted sects, the Baptists stand forth as most prominent, simply and only because they aim at a more complete and thorough reform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/of-all-persecuted-sects-the-baptists-stand-forth-as-most-prominent/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“It is my wish to fill every moment of my time with some action of the mind which may contribute to the pleasure or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/it-is-my-wish-to-fill-every-moment-of-my-time-with-some-action-of-the/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [Not stones, nor wood, nor the art of artisans make a state; but where men are who know how to take care of themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/not-stones-nor-wood-nor-the-art-of-artisans-make-a-state-but-where/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) [Explore all 186 John Quincy Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) ## More Accused quotes > [We resent being faced with facts we'd prefer to ignore as much as being wrongly accused of doing something we haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-chambers/we-resent-being-faced-with-facts-we-d-prefer-to-ignore-as-much-as/) [Aidan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-chambers/) > [Jesus Himself was criticized. 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He is accused by the political leaders of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-verges/here-i-am-looking-for-a-document-issued-by-a-public-attorney-i-don-t/) [Jacques Verges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-verges/) > [For although Claudius had been accused of gambling and drunkenness, not only were no worse sins laid to his charge, but he had successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-although-claudius-had-been-accused-of-gambling-and-drunkenness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [When Hillary Clinton was in the Clinton White House as first lady, the left - the right accused her of being wide eyed radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-corn/when-hillary-clinton-was-in-the-clinton-white-house-as-first-lady-the/) [David Corn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-corn/) > [I've been accused of trying too hard to rescue people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/i-ve-been-accused-of-trying-too-hard-to-rescue-people/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [“Looks sure can be deceiving: not every ‘ugly’ person is a ‘bad’ person (or is guilty of whatever it is that they are accused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looks-sure-can-be-deceiving-not-every-ugly-person-is-a-bad-person-or/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I have been accused of never saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-have-been-accused-of-never-saying-no/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) Browse all 618 Accused quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being even a little bit insincere.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Quincy Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-making-a-serious-mistake-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accused" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-making-a-serious-mistake-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/563/john-quincy-adams-2098_accused_i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-m_1616666.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would much rather be found guilty of making a serious mistake in judgment, than to be accused of being…” — John Quincy Adams", "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": "John Quincy Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would much rather be found...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-making-a-serious-mistake-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-would-much-rather-be-found-guilty-of-making-a-serious-mistake-in/#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 } } ] } ```