--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I made a classic mistake. I held out for…" description: "\"I made a classic mistake. I held out for something better.\" — Parker Stevenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png" --- # I made a classic mistake. I held out for something better. ![“I made a classic mistake. I held out for something better.” quote by Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png) > “I made a classic mistake. I held out for something better.” [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Admitting a mistake of waiting for an ideal that never arrived, leading to missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** Waiting for something better caused a classic mistake. Key Takeaway Act now rather than wait for perfection. Themes regret decision making opportunity Mood reflective motivational Type advice personal development When to use this quote - career planning - relationships - investment decisions Key Concepts perfectionism missed chances Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities have you delayed? - How can you balance patience with action? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can prevent progress and cause loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Classic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic/) [Classic Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classic-mistake-3131400/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Held Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/held-better-4247332/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-held-4247331/) [Something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-better/) ## Related quotes > [I held on to my better nature by my fingernails but I held on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-held-on-to-my-better-nature-by-my-fingernails-but-i-held-on/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Gary has made the classic mistake of equating precise cheekbones, perfect breasts, and a vague association with philanthropy as the signs of a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-norman/gary-has-made-the-classic-mistake-of-equating-precise-cheekbones/) [Matthew Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-norman/) > [I didn't like The Wiz and it wasn't because black people were doing it. I didn't like The Wiz because it was a badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-didn-t-like-the-wiz-and-it-wasn-t-because-black-people-were-doing/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [If something is not working today, then something better is in store. This surety should be in our mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/if-something-is-not-working-today-then-something-better-is-in-store/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [If God answers 'Yes', He is increasing your faith. If 'Wait', He is increasing your patience. If 'No', He has something better for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-gumbel/if-god-answers-yes-he-is-increasing-your-faith-if-wait-he-is/) [Nicky Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-gumbel/) > [I believe the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-the-very-purpose-of-our-life-is-to-seek-happiness-whether/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I feel like a lot of people look at pop music with a very formulaic perspective in numbers and patterns, but an outsider would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halsey/i-feel-like-a-lot-of-people-look-at-pop-music-with-a-very-formulaic/) [Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halsey/) > [Nothing good ever comes of love. What comes of love is always something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/nothing-good-ever-comes-of-love-what-comes-of-love-is-always/) [Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/) > [“Our ordinary mind always tried to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-ordinary-mind-always-tried-to-persuade-us-that-we-are-nothing-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Opposing what's wrong is a halfway measure at best. A rebel must also have a vision for something better, a strategy for moving toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-j-palmer/opposing-what-s-wrong-is-a-halfway-measure-at-best-a-rebel-must-also/) [Parker J. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-j-palmer/) > [The only way of making money is for effort. The only time I've ever lost money is when I've purposely said, "I'm doing this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-stokes/the-only-way-of-making-money-is-for-effort-the-only-time-i-ve-ever/) [Kerry Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-stokes/) > [We are, finally, all wanderers in search of knowledge. Most of us hold the dream of becoming something better than we are, something larger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/we-are-finally-all-wanderers-in-search-of-knowledge-most-of-us-hold/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [In our culture, we grow up thinking that failure is a terrible thing, that it's a setback, or worse, the end. Often it turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-schwarzenegger/in-our-culture-we-grow-up-thinking-that-failure-is-a-terrible-thing/) [Katherine Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-schwarzenegger/) > [If you allow for the possibilities of something better, you move toward it instinctively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/if-you-allow-for-the-possibilities-of-something-better-you-move/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/rule-number-something-or-other-never-tell-anybody-anything-unless-you/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) ## More by Parker Stevenson > [The first two pictures I did, I played a young student in prep school. When I did Lifeguard, everyone was saying, You're so Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/the-first-two-pictures-i-did-i-played-a-young-student-in-prep-school/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I used to a lot. I used to go dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-used-to-a-lot-i-used-to-go-dancing/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [You do show after show after show and get them done and on the air. Television devours material. We work a minimum of 12,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/you-do-show-after-show-after-show-and-get-them-done-and-on-the-air/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [My interest in architecture has always been sculptural. Most of my photography is of architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/my-interest-in-architecture-has-always-been-sculptural-most-of-my/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [Intellectuals would be much more accepted now than in the '40s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/intellectuals-would-be-much-more-accepted-now-than-in-the-40s/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I think the reaction to a World War II situation would be the same today as it was in 1942. Initially, people would question,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-think-the-reaction-to-a-world-war-ii-situation-would-be-the-same/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [California lacks a lot of the rules and restrictions the East has. Every house is a different style, different material, different color. There's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/california-lacks-a-lot-of-the-rules-and-restrictions-the-east-has/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I wanted my children to have the same exposure to the water I had. My strongest memories of Northeast Harbor are going in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-wanted-my-children-to-have-the-same-exposure-to-the-water-i-had-my/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [What I hear all the time is to stop and listen. When you do a scene 30 times, and know the lines, you stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/what-i-hear-all-the-time-is-to-stop-and-listen-when-you-do-a-scene-30/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [You get in before sunrise and you get out after sunset and you go home, eat and collapse. While you're aware of the ratings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/you-get-in-before-sunrise-and-you-get-out-after-sunset-and-you-go/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I still think of myself really as a New Yorker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-still-think-of-myself-really-as-a-new-yorker/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I almost rented a house by an architect named Schindler, but I couldn't afford it. It was a jewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-almost-rented-a-house-by-an-architect-named-schindler-but-i-couldn/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [Good work is good work wherever it's done, in a play, a motion picture or television, and that includes commercials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/good-work-is-good-work-wherever-it-s-done-in-a-play-a-motion-picture/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I never thought of myself as being that good looking, I was an actor, people saw me on television, and then they start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-never-thought-of-myself-as-being-that-good-looking-i-was-an-actor/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [I'm more interested in where I'll be in five or 10 years than where I am now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-m-more-interested-in-where-i-ll-be-in-five-or-10-years-than-where-i/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) [Explore all 34 Parker Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/) [Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/) [Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/) > [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/) [Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/) > [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/) [Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/) > [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/) [Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) [Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I made a classic mistake. I held out for something better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Parker Stevenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for-something-better/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for-something-better/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/parker-stevenson-18618_better_i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for_2108628.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I made a classic mistake. I held out for something better.” — Parker Stevenson", "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": "Parker Stevenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I made a classic mistake. I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for-something-better/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-made-a-classic-mistake-i-held-out-for-something-better/#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 } } ] } ```