--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest mistake people make in life…" description: "\"The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.\" — Malcolm Forbes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg" --- # The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to… ![“The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.” quote by Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg) > “The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.” [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often choose security over passion, missing fulfillment and potential success. **In simple terms:** Choosing comfort over joy leads to regret. Key Takeaway Pursue work you love. Themes career passion fulfillment risk success Mood reflective inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career change - entrepreneurship - hobby monetization - life planning Key Concepts Opportunity cost intrinsic motivation life satisfaction Questions to Reflect On - What passion could you turn into work? - How to balance income and enjoyment? A Different Perspective Not everyone can earn a living from their passion; practical constraints exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biggest mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-mistake/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [The biggest mistake people make in life is worrying what everyone else thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life-is-worrying-what-everyone/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I think the biggest mistake people make is not believing in themselves enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-piana/i-think-the-biggest-mistake-people-make-is-not-believing-in/) [Rich Piana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-piana/) > [I think the biggest mistake most people make when they pick their first job is they don't worry enough about whether they'll love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-the-biggest-mistake-most-people-make-when-they-pick-their/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I believe that the biggest mistake that most people make when it comes to their retirement is they do not plan for it. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-that-the-biggest-mistake-that-most-people-make-when-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The biggest mistake people make is to try to lose too much weight too fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-oz/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-is-to-try-to-lose-too-much-weight-too/) [Mehmet Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-oz/) > [The biggest mistake people make is assuming that their dogs think like little humans, and that they can negotiate behavior with them, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-is-assuming-that-their-dogs-think/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [The biggest mistake to most people Listen to half of the conversation Understand the quarter Speak all the time..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/the-biggest-mistake-to-most-people-listen-to-half-of-the-conversation/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Our first half is about how to make a living, and our second half has the promise of being about how to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-buford/our-first-half-is-about-how-to-make-a-living-and-our-second-half-has/) [Bob Buford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-buford/) > [Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happiness-is-not-so-much-in-having-as-sharing-we-make-a-living-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Work is not a means to make a living but a means to live your making;we do not make a living,we make a life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/work-is-not-a-means-to-make-a-living-but-a-means-to-live-your-making/) Anyaele Sam Chiyson > [You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-make-a-living-by-what-you-get-you-make-a-life-by-what-you-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What we have done for ourselves dies with us, but what we have done for others remains forever. We make a living not by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-sharma/what-we-have-done-for-ourselves-dies-with-us-but-what-we-have-done/) [Sushan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-sharma/) > [We make a living by what we get,& we make life by what we give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-make-a-living-by-what-we-get-we-make-life-by-what-we-give/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Work to make a living; serve to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/work-to-make-a-living-serve-to-make-a-life/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [I don't want to make a living. I want to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-don-t-want-to-make-a-living-i-want-to-make-a-life/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) ## More by Malcolm Forbes > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [ I don't think anybody can be a success who doesn't like what they do. \[But it's\] no job if it has no challenge; there's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-don-t-think-anybody-can-be-a-success-who-doesn-t-like-what-they-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Real writers-that is, capital W Writers-rarely make much money. Their biggest reward is the occasional reader's response… Commentators-in-print voicing big fat opinions-you might call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/real-writers-that-is-capital-w-writers-rarely-make-much-money-their/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always be worse. And when they are, we find hope in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-things-are-bad-we-take-comfort-in-the-thought-that-they-could/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [The best vision is insight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-best-vision-is-insight/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [When you don't understand, it's sometimes easier to look like you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/when-you-don-t-understand-it-s-sometimes-easier-to-look-like-you-do/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-s-so-much-easier-to-suggest-solutions-when-you-don-t-know-too-much/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Security isn't securities. It's knowing that someone cares whether you are or cease to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/security-isn-t-securities-it-s-knowing-that-someone-cares-whether-you/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is unfortunate we can't buy many business executives for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-unfortunate-we-can-t-buy-many-business-executives-for-what-they/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [It is all one to me if a man comes from Sing Sing Prison or Harvard. We hire a man, not his history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/it-is-all-one-to-me-if-a-man-comes-from-sing-sing-prison-or-harvard/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Compliment others on the virtues they have; and they're not half as pleased as being complimented for the ones they don't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/compliment-others-on-the-virtues-they-have-and-they-re-not-half-as/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [. . . the most difficult thing asked by our young is not our earnings but our ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-most-difficult-thing-asked-by-our-young-is-not-our-earnings-but/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) [Explore all 232 Malcolm Forbes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More Biggest mistake quotes > [The biggest mistake girls make is thinking the guy who hurt them once wont do it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-mistake-girls-make-is-thinking-the-guy-who-hurt-them-once/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The biggest mistake I see with people who are new to CrossFit is trying to advance too quickly. Just because you can do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-fraser/the-biggest-mistake-i-see-with-people-who-are-new-to-crossfit-is/) [Mat Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-fraser/) > [If you leave the one you love angry,without saying I Love You, or Goodbye, It could be the most biggest mistake of your life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-stewart/if-you-leave-the-one-you-love-angry-without-saying-i-love-you-or/) Joy Stewart > [My biggest mistake is love you and take you for granted. I'll regret it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-biggest-mistake-is-love-you-and-take-you-for-granted-i-ll-regret/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The biggest mistake people make when trying to be authentic is just that: they try. They see these role models of what an "authentic"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-when-trying-to-be-authentic-is-just/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [I had a couple of agents, but then I went on my own. I thought I could negotiate my own deals and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-grobbelaar/i-had-a-couple-of-agents-but-then-i-went-on-my-own-i-thought-i-could/) [Bruce Grobbelaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-grobbelaar/) > [The biggest mistake I've seen people make with their careers is, when they're good, after two or three years - and they happen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/the-biggest-mistake-i-ve-seen-people-make-with-their-careers-is-when/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' But if I had made a big mistake, they'd all be writing about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/the-press-keep-asking-me-what-was-your-biggest-mistake-but-if-i-had/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [“I’m sorry, babe. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was stupid. I fucked up. I thought I was doing you a favor by keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-abel/i-m-sorry-babe-i-m-sorry-i-hurt-you-i-was-stupid-i-fucked-up-i/) [E.M. Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-abel/) > [“The biggest mistake we commit in life is to think that others will get affected by our action and we shall leave some effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himmilicious/the-biggest-mistake-we-commit-in-life-is-to-think-that-others-will/) Himmilicious > [“At the beginning of the semester, when you asked who I loved the most, an image of my mother popped in my head. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brianne/at-the-beginning-of-the-semester-when-you-asked-who-i-loved-the-most/) [Sarah Brianne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brianne/) > [“Truly Falling In Love With you is not one of the greatest mistake of my Life but Trusting you madly is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashi-khan/truly-falling-in-love-with-you-is-not-one-of-the-greatest-mistake-of/) Kashi khan > [I thought doing reality TV would be the greatest success of my life or the biggest mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/i-thought-doing-reality-tv-would-be-the-greatest-success-of-my-life/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [Is that your ex? No, that's the biggest mistake of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-martin/is-that-your-ex-no-that-s-the-biggest-mistake-of-my-life/) [Brandon Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-martin/) [Browse all 337 Biggest mistake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-mistake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Forbes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life-is-not-trying-to-make-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biggest mistake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life-is-not-trying-to-make-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b83/malcolm-forbes-1510_biggest-mistake_the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life_2398644.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.” — Malcolm Forbes", "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": "Malcolm Forbes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The biggest mistake people make in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life-is-not-trying-to-make-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-in-life-is-not-trying-to-make-a/#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 } } ] } ```