--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who has never sinned is less reliable…" description: "\"He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once.\" — Nassim Nicholas Taleb" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png" --- # He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has… ![“He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once.” quote by Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png) > “He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once.” [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A single mistake can be more instructive and trustworthy than a flawless record. **In simple terms:** One failure can be more reliable than never failing. Key Takeaway Learn from mistakes; they build reliability. Themes failure reliability learning Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - business decisions - personal growth - risk management Key Concepts probability risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What can a single failure teach you? - How do you trust a flawless record? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on failure may cause unnecessary fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reliable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reliable/) [Reliable Sinned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reliable-sinned-2552401/) [Sinned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinned/) [Sinned Reliable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinned-reliable-2552402/) ## Related quotes > [He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once. And someone who has made plenty of errors-though never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable-than-he-who-has-only-sinned-2/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Further, my characterization of a loser is someone who, after making a mistake, doesn’t introspect, doesn’t exploit it, feels embarrassed and defensive rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/further-my-characterization-of-a-loser-is-someone-who-after-making-a-2/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [But the guilt goes even deeper than that. It, too, is dust: Layers and layers of it have accumulated. Because if it weren’t for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/but-the-guilt-goes-even-deeper-than-that-it-too-is-dust-layers-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [You're never so bad you can't have a Savior, no matter how much you've sinned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kimmel/you-re-never-so-bad-you-can-t-have-a-savior-no-matter-how-much-you-ve/) [Tim Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kimmel/) > [We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So when we are in the mess, remember Jesus made it right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jud-wilhite/we-have-all-sinned-and-fall-short-of-the-glory-of-god-so-when-we-are/) [Jud Wilhite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jud-wilhite/) > [If we consider how greatly he has sinned against the masses in the course of the centuries, how he has squeezed and sucked the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/if-we-consider-how-greatly-he-has-sinned-against-the-masses-in-the/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/for-if-god-did-not-spare-angels-when-they-sinned-but-cast-them-into/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [I have sinned against you, my Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-swaggart/i-have-sinned-against-you-my-lord/) [Jimmy Swaggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-swaggart/) > [“I'm blessed, for I have sinned with the best damned fuck in the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-ridgway/i-m-blessed-for-i-have-sinned-with-the-best-damned-fuck-in-the/) [Christie Ridgway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-ridgway/) > [Christianity teaches that when man sinned, God opted for forgiveness rather than fairness. He opted for grace and mercy rather than justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/christianity-teaches-that-when-man-sinned-god-opted-for-forgiveness/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [No matter how much you've sinned, no matter how much you've stumbled, no matter how much you fall, no matter how far you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/no-matter-how-much-you-ve-sinned-no-matter-how-much-you-ve-stumbled/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [He who repents of having sinned is almost innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-repents-of-having-sinned-is-almost-innocent/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“the pair of us were inextricably linked together. We must have sinned against each other in a previous existence, so that each of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jia-pingwa/the-pair-of-us-were-inextricably-linked-together-we-must-have-sinned/) [Jia Pingwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jia-pingwa/) > [You can rake the muck this way, rake the muck that way-- it will always be muck. Have I sinned or have I not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/you-can-rake-the-muck-this-way-rake-the-muck-that-way-it-will-always/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [“Father forgive me for I have sinned. -Damian”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-tomasi/father-forgive-me-for-i-have-sinned-damian/) [Peter J. Tomasi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-tomasi/) ## More by Nassim Nicholas Taleb > [To become a philosopher, start by walking very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/to-become-a-philosopher-start-by-walking-very-slowly/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Wittgenstein's ruler: Unless you have confidence in the ruler's reliability, if you use a ruler to measure a table you may also be using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/wittgenstein-s-ruler-unless-you-have-confidence-in-the-ruler-s/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My nightmare scenario is that the government saves Citibank once again, as well as the other banks, and business resumes as usual. Then, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/my-nightmare-scenario-is-that-the-government-saves-citibank-once/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Using, as an excuse, others' failure of common sense is in itself a failure of common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/using-as-an-excuse-others-failure-of-common-sense-is-in-itself-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“One needs to go out and buy a lottery ticket in order to win. Does it mean that the work involved in the trip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/one-needs-to-go-out-and-buy-a-lottery-ticket-in-order-to-win-does-it/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Individuals should think about the worst-case scenarios and plan for them. The world will be crazier than you think it will be. Put money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/individuals-should-think-about-the-worst-case-scenarios-and-plan-for/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“If you are looking for your misplaced wallet in your living room, in a trial and error mode, you exercise rationality by not looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/if-you-are-looking-for-your-misplaced-wallet-in-your-living-room-in-a/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Most humans manage to squander their free time, as free time makes them dysfunctional, lazy, and unmotivated—the busier they get, the more active they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/most-humans-manage-to-squander-their-free-time-as-free-time-makes/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [We learn the most from fools ... yet we pay them back with the worst ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-learn-the-most-from-fools-yet-we-pay-them-back-with-the-worst/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [We are victims of the post-Enlightenment view that the world functions like a sophisticated machine, to be understood like a textbook engineering problem and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/we-are-victims-of-the-post-enlightenment-view-that-the-world/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“loss of bone density and degradation of the health of the bones also causes aging, diabetes, and, for males, loss of fertility and sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/loss-of-bone-density-and-degradation-of-the-health-of-the-bones-also/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“It takes a huge investment in introspection to learn that the thirty or more hours spent “studying” the news last month neither had any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-takes-a-huge-investment-in-introspection-to-learn-that-the-thirty/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) [Explore all 635 Nassim Nicholas Taleb quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) ## More Reliable quotes > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Writing that flirts with incoherence can just as readily flounder as writing characterized by simplicity and composure. There is no reliable formula for originality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/writing-that-flirts-with-incoherence-can-just-as-readily-flounder-as/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [Go God's way! His is the most reliable route to follow when life gets complicated. It will have its tough moments, but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/go-god-s-way-his-is-the-most-reliable-route-to-follow-when-life-gets/) [Charles R. 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Give every American a $100 credit to the dog track of their choice. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-geist/i-have-a-simple-plan-to-solve-the-economic-crisis-give-every-american/) [Willie Geist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-geist/) > [Being reliable and accountable is what keeps you there and keeps you moving up that corporate ladder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-reliable-and-accountable-is-what-keeps-you-there-and-keeps-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Books are so much more reliable than people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cross/books-are-so-much-more-reliable-than-people/) [Amy Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cross/) > [Have the most reliable friend you can have in American politics, and that is ready money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/have-the-most-reliable-friend-you-can-have-in-american-politics-and/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [I'm absolutely delighted if people think of me as a reliable purveyor of quality period stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davies/i-m-absolutely-delighted-if-people-think-of-me-as-a-reliable-purveyor/) [Andrew Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davies/) > [It is plainly evident that, in a country where land was to be had for the asking, fuel for the cutting, corn for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-morse-earle/it-is-plainly-evident-that-in-a-country-where-land-was-to-be-had-for/) [Alice Morse Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-morse-earle/) > [The lack of reliable broadband is hurting our kids. It's hurting vital services like telehealth. It's hurting our economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/the-lack-of-reliable-broadband-is-hurting-our-kids-it-s-hurting-vital/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) [Browse all 202 Reliable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reliable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nassim Nicholas Taleb" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable-than-he-who-has-only-sinned/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Reliable" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable-than-he-who-has-only-sinned/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/234/nassim-nicholas-taleb-352_reliable_he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable_1238663.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He who has never sinned is less reliable than he who has only sinned once.” — Nassim Nicholas Taleb", "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": "Nassim Nicholas Taleb", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He who has never sinned is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable-than-he-who-has-only-sinned/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/he-who-has-never-sinned-is-less-reliable-than-he-who-has-only-sinned/#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 } } ] } ```