--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you may think you're doing the…" description: "\"“Sometimes you may think you're doing the right thing, but it turns out to be the wrong thing. And you just have to live with it. If I'd known what I k..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/k-martin-beckner-15699_doing-right_sometimes-you-may-think-you-re-doing-the_478879.jpg" --- # Sometimes you may think you're doing the right thing, but… ![“Sometimes you may think you're doing the right thing, but it turns out to be the wrong thing. And you just have to live with it. If I'd known what I know now when I was young, I could have done a lot more right, but I didn't. That's the way life is: you figure it out right before you die.” quote by K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/k-martin-beckner-15699_doing-right_sometimes-you-may-think-you-re-doing-the_478879.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/k-martin-beckner-15699_doing-right_sometimes-you-may-think-you-re-doing-the_478879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76d/k-martin-beckner-15699_doing-right_sometimes-you-may-think-you-re-doing-the_478879.jpg) > ““Sometimes you may think you're doing the right thing, but it turns out to be the wrong thing. And you just have to live with it. If I'd known what I know now when I was young, I could have done a lot more right, but I didn't. That's the way life is: you figure it out right before you die.”” [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s decisions often reveal their true nature later; learning from mistakes is inevitable. **In simple terms:** Mistakes teach us as we age. Key Takeaway Learn, adapt, and keep moving. Themes growth reflection mortality Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - personal relationships - health decisions Key Concepts philosophy decision making Questions to Reflect On - What lesson would you teach your younger self? - How do you reconcile past errors with present growth? A Different Perspective Regret can paralyze future action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-right/) [Doing the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) [Experience-mistakes-wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-mistakes-wisdom/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) ## Related quotes > [“Cournot noted that if one averaged the respecticvee sides of a collection of right triangles, the resulting figure would not be a right triangle...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-stigler/cournot-noted-that-if-one-averaged-the-respecticvee-sides-of-a/) Stephen Stigler > [ Doing the right thing is easy. \[It is\] much more difficult \[to...\] figure out what \[the right thing\] is. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/doing-the-right-thing-is-easy-it-is-much-more-difficult-to-figure-out/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [If you want to figure out what's right for you. Sometime it's enough to figure out what's wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roumain/if-you-want-to-figure-out-what-s-right-for-you-sometime-it-s-enough/) [Roumain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roumain/) > [Death spares no figure of right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassy-turner/death-spares-no-figure-of-right/) [Cassy Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassy-turner/) > [Sometimes we do get it wrong. But that's okay, it's the only way to figure out how to get it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-we-do-get-it-wrong-but-that-s-okay-it-s-the-only-way-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The right to die can so easily become the duty to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-saunders/the-right-to-die-can-so-easily-become-the-duty-to-die/) Peter Saunders > [“I would rather be right and die than be wrong and kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-lisle/i-would-rather-be-right-and-die-than-be-wrong-and-kill/) [Holly Lisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-lisle/) > [I rather die fight for a cause I know in my life is right, rather than die and not make a difference at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luna-hikari/i-rather-die-fight-for-a-cause-i-know-in-my-life-is-right-rather-than/) Luna Hikari > [The right to die can easily become the duty to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-saunders/the-right-to-die-can-easily-become-the-duty-to-die/) Peter Saunders > [All right, then, I'd die for you. How about that? Don't you think somebody could die for love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/all-right-then-i-d-die-for-you-how-about-that-don-t-you-think/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [Individuals? Or members of society? That's what the right to die is about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/individuals-or-members-of-society-that-s-what-the-right-to-die-is/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“As long as you keep getting born, it's all right to die sometimes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/as-long-as-you-keep-getting-born-it-s-all-right-to-die-sometimes/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Right before I die, I'm going to say I LEFT MILLION DOLLARS IN THE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aashi/right-before-i-die-i-m-going-to-say-i-left-million-dollars-in-the/) [Aashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aashi/) > [“Have no regrets in life because of the choices you make. Good or bad, they are a learning experience, to help you grow. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hauenstein/have-no-regrets-in-life-because-of-the-choices-you-make-good-or-bad/) [James Hauenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hauenstein/) > [“Tragedy plus time equals humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-osmond/tragedy-plus-time-equals-humor/) [Marie Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-osmond/) ## More by K. Martin Beckner > [“Like a car that's old enough to be old but not old enough to be a classic, it would be years before people would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/like-a-car-that-s-old-enough-to-be-old-but-not-old-enough-to-be-a/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“Anyway," continued Mr. Miller, "when I was a kid, people used to sit under the stars at night and look up into the sky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/anyway-continued-mr-miller-when-i-was-a-kid-people-used-to-sit-under/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I've tucked those negative thoughts in a drawer, and for the most part, though I know the drawer still exists, it never gets opened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-ve-tucked-those-negative-thoughts-in-a-drawer-and-for-the-most-part/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I want you to learn that if you don't keep picking at old wounds, over time they will eventually heal. Oh sure, sometimes they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-want-you-to-learn-that-if-you-don-t-keep-picking-at-old-wounds-over/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“Stephanie took another puff from her candy cigarette, reached into her purse, brought out the rest of the pack, and said, "Want one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/stephanie-took-another-puff-from-her-candy-cigarette-reached-into-her/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“don’t think he ever did feel right living on this earth without Sarah. Now he can be with Sarah in Heaven forever and ever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/don-t-think-he-ever-did-feel-right-living-on-this-earth-without-sarah/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I guess we're all composed of a lot of mistakes; we just have to figure out how to take our mistakes and make something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-guess-we-re-all-composed-of-a-lot-of-mistakes-we-just-have-to/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“Initially they waited with hope, but as each hour passed, hope slipped away like the wind, the wind that as a small boy Ethan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/initially-they-waited-with-hope-but-as-each-hour-passed-hope-slipped/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I feel better now that we decided not to worry. I think most people spend too much time worrying about stuff that never happens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-feel-better-now-that-we-decided-not-to-worry-i-think-most-people/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“There aren't many kids today as good as you are. Kids today are selfish; they don't think of others. They're too busy listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/there-aren-t-many-kids-today-as-good-as-you-are-kids-today-are/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I felt a pang of guilt at these words. I knew that it would probably be a long time before he got to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-felt-a-pang-of-guilt-at-these-words-i-knew-that-it-would-probably/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I wanted to go in and tell them that, but George thought it would just be stirring up some trouble, you know, stirring up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-wanted-to-go-in-and-tell-them-that-but-george-thought-it-would-just/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“I've left behind so many unfinished quilts in my life, beautiful pieces of dreams and intentions never fully assembled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/i-ve-left-behind-so-many-unfinished-quilts-in-my-life-beautiful/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“Life’s journey does not take place down an easy roadway, as some might imagine. It takes place inside a giant house with a million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/life-s-journey-does-not-take-place-down-an-easy-roadway-as-some-might/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) > [“That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. I think I would have more fun chopping thistles with a butter knife.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-martin-beckner/that-s-the-dumbest-thing-i-ve-ever-heard-of-i-think-i-would-have-more/) [K. Martin Beckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) [Explore all 42 K. Martin Beckner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-martin-beckner/) ## More Doing right quotes > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [Money will come to you when you are doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phillips/money-will-come-to-you-when-you-are-doing-the-right-thing/) [Michael Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phillips/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [Any artist can't get away from the way the world works, which is that it wants to know what you did, and you're only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/any-artist-can-t-get-away-from-the-way-the-world-works-which-is-that/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“Because doing what is right is in your bones. Just follow where your bones take you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-x-stork/because-doing-what-is-right-is-in-your-bones-just-follow-where-your/) [Francisco X. Stork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-x-stork/) > [It's all about doing the right things at the right times and I believe I can win everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-cross/it-s-all-about-doing-the-right-things-at-the-right-times-and-i/) [Rob Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-cross/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“Management is about doing things right; leadership is about doing the right things. Peter Drucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-banfield/management-is-about-doing-things-right-leadership-is-about-doing-the/) [Richard Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-banfield/) > [Audiences are hungry for something different. With binge-watching, they're hungry for interesting content they haven't seen before, and they want to be entertained. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-millar/audiences-are-hungry-for-something-different-with-binge-watching-they/) [Miles Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-millar/) > [“Doing better is creativity, doing faster is creativity, doing smarter is creativity, doing right is creativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/doing-better-is-creativity-doing-faster-is-creativity-doing-smarter/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I went to Oregon to study permaculture and lived in an eco-village for a month outside Eugene. Its called Lost Valley. It was amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/i-went-to-oregon-to-study-permaculture-and-lived-in-an-eco-village/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [Never let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-jenkins/never-let-making-a-profit-stand-in-the-way-of-doing-the-right-thing/) George W. Jenkins > [Knowing what is right is not the same as doing what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/knowing-what-is-right-is-not-the-same-as-doing-what-is-right/) [Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/) [Browse all 734 Doing right quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-right/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes you may think you're doing the right thing, but it turns out to be the wrong thing. And you just have to live with it. 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