--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why do we have to make such terrible…" description: "\"“Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we are too young to know what we are doing? The big mistakes are hung around y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg" --- # Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our… ![“Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we are too young to know what we are doing? The big mistakes are hung around your neck and you have to wear them forever.” quote by Oswald Wynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg) > ““Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we are too young to know what we are doing? The big mistakes are hung around your neck and you have to wear them forever.”” [Oswald Wynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-wynd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Young people make irreversible mistakes that they must live with forever. **In simple terms:** Mistakes linger forever. Key Takeaway Think before acting. Themes mistakes youth regret responsibility Mood cautionary reflective Type Big mistake:1 Failure:0 Mistakes:1 Big Mistakes:1 Decisions Lives:0 Terrible Decisions:0 Mistakes Hung:0 When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - financial decisions Key Concepts psychology philosophy social learning Questions to Reflect On - What decisions can you postpone? - How can you reduce long‑term regret? A Different Perspective Mistakes can be mitigated with learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-mistake/) [Big Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-mistakes-592477/) [Decisions Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions-lives-1686499/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Mistakes Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes-hung-2410994/) [Terrible Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-decisions-2410993/) ## Related quotes > [People who don't take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/people-who-don-t-take-risks-generally-make-about-two-big-mistakes-a/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [“I intuitively did well when I was leading the whole team, but once we got past 25 people, you can't do that. And so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-livingston/i-intuitively-did-well-when-i-was-leading-the-whole-team-but-once-we/) [Jessica Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-livingston/) > [“Big mistakes are an outstanding opportunity to showcase your ability to recover and have grace under pressure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/big-mistakes-are-an-outstanding-opportunity-to-showcase-your-ability/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [One of the big mistakes I think we make in relationships is that we don't give our best energy to the people that matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/one-of-the-big-mistakes-i-think-we-make-in-relationships-is-that-we/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [I try not to dwell on big mistakes but to move on when I make a mistake. I make mistakes most of the times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/i-try-not-to-dwell-on-big-mistakes-but-to-move-on-when-i-make-a/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Handling covid, we made a lot of big mistakes, and it led to tens of trillions of dollars of economic damage and millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/handling-covid-we-made-a-lot-of-big-mistakes-and-it-led-to-tens-of/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [I wish people used to learn from the small lessons instead of making big mistakes and regretfully crying later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-wish-people-used-to-learn-from-the-small-lessons-instead-of-making/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Like all creatures, humans have made their way in the world by trial and error. Unlike other creatures we have a presence so colossal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-wright/like-all-creatures-humans-have-made-their-way-in-the-world-by-trial/) [Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-wright/) > [It's the little mistakes that lead to big mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/it-s-the-little-mistakes-that-lead-to-big-mistakes/) [Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/) > [“The truth is that it doesn’t matter how much companies research, how well they plan, how much money they spend, or how smart their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-alvarez/the-truth-is-that-it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-companies-research-how/) [Cindy Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-alvarez/) > [Well, on lots of small things we could have done better, but on all the big things we called it right. You should make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/well-on-lots-of-small-things-we-could-have-done-better-but-on-all-the/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [She had an unequalled gift, usually pen in hand, of squeezing big mistakes into opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/she-had-an-unequalled-gift-usually-pen-in-hand-of-squeezing-big/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [I don't think I made any really big mistakes; it's just that I chose something difficult to do. Looking back, I suppose I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-don-t-think-i-made-any-really-big-mistakes-it-s-just-that-i-chose/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I think one of the big mistakes people make is to have fame as one of their main goals. That is the biggest mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-sandoval/i-think-one-of-the-big-mistakes-people-make-is-to-have-fame-as-one-of/) [Hope Sandoval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-sandoval/) > [The two big mistakes were the belief in a sky god - that there's a man in the sky with 10 things he doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-two-big-mistakes-were-the-belief-in-a-sky-god-that-there-s-a-man/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More by Oswald Wynd > [“Laughter between two is sometimes a closer act of love than any other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-wynd/laughter-between-two-is-sometimes-a-closer-act-of-love-than-any-other/) [Oswald Wynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-wynd/) [Explore all 2 Oswald Wynd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-wynd/) ## More Big mistake quotes > [If loving you is a big mistake, I will never ever want to be right,i will always make the same mistake over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horla/if-loving-you-is-a-big-mistake-i-will-never-ever-want-to-be-right-i/) [Horla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horla/) > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-wikzek/if-you-don-t-make-mistakes-you-re-not-working-on-hard-enough-problems/) [F Wikzek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-wikzek/) > [“Hitler made only one big mistake when he built his Atlantic Wall,” the paratroopers liked to say. “He forgot to put a roof on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/hitler-made-only-one-big-mistake-when-he-built-his-atlantic-wall-the/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [Well I think its safe to say this week has been the worst week EVER I never I never thought I could get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talyiah/well-i-think-its-safe-to-say-this-week-has-been-the-worst-week-ever-i/) [Talyiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talyiah/) > [One of the big mistakes Republicans made with the Contract with America is that they tried to do too much too fast, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gephardt/one-of-the-big-mistakes-republicans-made-with-the-contract-with/) [Dick Gephardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gephardt/) > [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/) > [We have to keep trying things we're not sure we can pull off. If we just do the things we know we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/we-have-to-keep-trying-things-we-re-not-sure-we-can-pull-off-if-we/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [“God figured out when he separated us from the rest of the creatures that if we have the power to reason and justify and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/god-figured-out-when-he-separated-us-from-the-rest-of-the-creatures/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [Taking me seriously is a big mistake. I certainly wouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/taking-me-seriously-is-a-big-mistake-i-certainly-wouldn-t/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I've lived so little that I tend to imagine I'm not going to die; it seems improbable that human existence can be reduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/i-ve-lived-so-little-that-i-tend-to-imagine-i-m-not-going-to-die-it/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [One big mistake that we made in Delhi is that we made it a low-rise city which means that rich people have nice green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/one-big-mistake-that-we-made-in-delhi-is-that-we-made-it-a-low-rise/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [The feeling of being deceived, completely betrayed by someone so close to your clueless heart. You tell them everything, all the emotions and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-feeling-of-being-deceived-completely-betrayed-by-someone-so-close/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Gift of Gab She continued by saying, “Many people dismiss small talk as being a waste of time. If you think small talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/the-gift-of-gab-she-continued-by-saying-many-people-dismiss-small/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 285 Big mistake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-mistake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we are too young to know what we are doing? The big mistakes are hung around your neck and you have to wear them forever.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oswald Wynd" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-wynd/why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-decisions-for-our-whole-lives/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Big mistake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-wynd/why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-decisions-for-our-whole-lives/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/oswald-wynd-100017_big-mistake_why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-dec_1038180.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we are too young to know what we are…” — Oswald Wynd", "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": "Oswald Wynd", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-wynd/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Why do we have to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-wynd/why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-decisions-for-our-whole-lives/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-wynd/why-do-we-have-to-make-such-terrible-decisions-for-our-whole-lives/#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 } } ] } ```