--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't make a mistake when you…" description: "\"You can't make a mistake when you improvise.\" — Patti Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg" --- # You can't make a mistake when you improvise. ![“You can't make a mistake when you improvise.” quote by Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg) > “You can't make a mistake when you improvise.” [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Improvisation removes fear of error because each moment is created anew, making mistakes irrelevant. **In simple terms:** Improvising means no mistakes. Key Takeaway Embrace spontaneity. Themes creativity risk freedom Mood playful confident Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - live performance - writing - public speaking - artistic creation Key Concepts improvisation mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does spontaneity affect your confidence? - When is planning better than improvisation? A Different Perspective Improvisation can lead to chaotic outcomes without structure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-feet/) [Drumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drumming/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Improvisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvisation/) [Improvise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvise/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-mistake-257623/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Improvise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-improvise-5705097/) ## Related quotes > [When we got to the part where we had to improvise an argument in a poetic language, I got cold feet. "I can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/when-we-got-to-the-part-where-we-had-to-improvise-an-argument-in-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Being able to improvise is the basis for creating all characters and situations, for everything to do with performing, really. And it's good therapy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kattan/being-able-to-improvise-is-the-basis-for-creating-all-characters-and/) [Chris Kattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kattan/) > [Music and writing do fold together in the sense that you have to have a certain level of skill in order to execute your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/music-and-writing-do-fold-together-in-the-sense-that-you-have-to-have/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“Do mountains of preparation kill spontaneity? Absolutely not. I’ve found that it’s just the opposite. When you know what you’re doing, you feel much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-mountains-of-preparation-kill-spontaneity-absolutely-not-i-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Improv is more than just spitting out a bunch of funny stuff that's unrelated to the material. You have to stay in character, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendi-mclendon-covey/improv-is-more-than-just-spitting-out-a-bunch-of-funny-stuff-that-s/) [Wendi McLendon-Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendi-mclendon-covey/) > [To work from nature is to improvise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-braque/to-work-from-nature-is-to-improvise/) [Georges Braque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-braque/) > [I love to improvise, but I always thought "Man, it's like the final frontier for improvisational actors, to really go for something emotional, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/i-love-to-improvise-but-i-always-thought-man-it-s-like-the-final/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) > [I love improv so much. Listening. I think that's the key. When you improvise, you put a lot of pressure on yourself to create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-riggle/i-love-improv-so-much-listening-i-think-that-s-the-key-when-you/) [Rob Riggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-riggle/) > [I like to improvise so much live because I get bored playing the same thing over again. It's like the kid at school that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-root/i-like-to-improvise-so-much-live-because-i-get-bored-playing-the-same/) [Jim Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-root/) > [When you improvise on the spot, people are very reluctant to have soft moments or quiet moments or sad moments because they're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/when-you-improvise-on-the-spot-people-are-very-reluctant-to-have-soft/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [Preparing to improvise is at a level commensurate with mastering the structure in a European classical piece. Another way to define improvisation is spontaneous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-heath/preparing-to-improvise-is-at-a-level-commensurate-with-mastering-the/) [Jimmy Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-heath/) > [Usually I like to improvise. Sometimes, depending on the nature of the piece, I like to improvise because I think it brings a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/usually-i-like-to-improvise-sometimes-depending-on-the-nature-of-the/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [So that's the challenge, you have a big technical aspect of what you're doing whilst you're creatively trying to improvise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/so-that-s-the-challenge-you-have-a-big-technical-aspect-of-what-you/) [Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/) > [Improvisation, it is a mystery. You can write a book about it, but by the end no one still knows what it is. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephane-grappelli/improvisation-it-is-a-mystery-you-can-write-a-book-about-it-but-by/) [Stephane Grappelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephane-grappelli/) > [When you're at a concert and you hear someone improvise well, that's special; it puts you in the moment and takes you someplace. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/when-you-re-at-a-concert-and-you-hear-someone-improvise-well-that-s/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) ## More by Patti Smith > [I had a really happy childhood - my siblings were great, my mother was very fanciful, and I loved to read. But there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-had-a-really-happy-childhood-my-siblings-were-great-my-mother-was/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [As a citizen, hopefully I'm humanist. As an artist, I'm free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/as-a-citizen-hopefully-i-m-humanist-as-an-artist-i-m-free/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [ Sometimes \[people\] seem to think I came out of the womb, you know, cursing, with an electric guitar. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/sometimes-people-seem-to-think-i-came-out-of-the-womb-you-know/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“Inside it he inscribed a few lines of poetry, portraying us as the gypsy and the fool, one creating silence; one listening closely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/inside-it-he-inscribed-a-few-lines-of-poetry-portraying-us-as-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Who can know the heart of youth but youth itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/who-can-know-the-heart-of-youth-but-youth-itself/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“I clawed through a thick web of the culture’s consciousness that I hadn’t known existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-clawed-through-a-thick-web-of-the-culture-s-consciousness-that-i/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Ultimately, we are not seeking others to bow to, but to reinforce our individual natures, to help us suffer our own choices, to guide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/ultimately-we-are-not-seeking-others-to-bow-to-but-to-reinforce-our/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm certain, as we filled down the great staircase, that I appeared the same as ever, a moping twelve years-old, all arms and legs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-certain-as-we-filled-down-the-great-staircase-that-i-appeared-the/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/in-art-and-dream-may-you-proceed-with-abandon-in-life-may-you-proceed/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [New York is the thing that seduced me. New York is the thing that formed me. New York is the thing that deformed me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/new-york-is-the-thing-that-seduced-me-new-york-is-the-thing-that/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I don't wanna be equal with anybody. I wanna be above equal. I don't think most people are equal to me. I'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-don-t-wanna-be-equal-with-anybody-i-wanna-be-above-equal-i-don-t/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I think I'm constantly in a state of adjustment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-think-i-m-constantly-in-a-state-of-adjustment/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Somehow I started introducing writing into my drawings, and after a time, the language took over and I started getting very involved with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/somehow-i-started-introducing-writing-into-my-drawings-and-after-a/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I'm okay with roaming around the world in my bunk for days on end. Maybe every third day I'll get a shower or stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-m-okay-with-roaming-around-the-world-in-my-bunk-for-days-on-end/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) [Explore all 595 Patti Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) ## More Cold feet quotes > [“You are gone silence screams in my ears I have cold feet Stepping out of my bed that morning was the hardest thing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakshi-narula/you-are-gone-silence-screams-in-my-ears-i-have-cold-feet-stepping-out/) [Sakshi Narula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakshi-narula/) > [“My grandfather once told her if you couldn't read with cold feet, there wouldn't be a literate soul in the state of Maine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-grandfather-once-told-her-if-you-couldn-t-read-with-cold-feet/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [What was great about 'Cold Feet' is that although it flew off down all different avenues, it was really based on believing the reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-baxendale/what-was-great-about-cold-feet-is-that-although-it-flew-off-down-all/) [Helen Baxendale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-baxendale/) > [“(This is from a tribute poem to Ronnie James Dio: Former lead vocalist of the band Rainbow, Black Sabbath. This is written with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/this-is-from-a-tribute-poem-to-ronnie-james-dio-former-lead-vocalist/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [I have been a part of stage shows, but yes, I do get cold feet when I think that every move of mine will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amruta-khanvilkar/i-have-been-a-part-of-stage-shows-but-yes-i-do-get-cold-feet-when-i/) [Amruta Khanvilkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amruta-khanvilkar/) > [When I was 14, sippin on my OE. Tryna marry money but that bitch kept getting cold feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/when-i-was-14-sippin-on-my-oe-tryna-marry-money-but-that-bitch-kept/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [You never know when some crazed rodent with cold feet could be running loose in your pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/you-never-know-when-some-crazed-rodent-with-cold-feet-could-be/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When I first got back from the war, I said, 'I'm gonna write the Great American Novel about the Vietnam War.' So I sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marlantes/when-i-first-got-back-from-the-war-i-said-i-m-gonna-write-the-great/) [Karl Marlantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marlantes/) > [“Pull yourself together, Detective. You're embarrassing yourself, and more imprtant, you're embarrassing me." "They're going to do it outside. In public." "So the fuck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/pull-yourself-together-detective-you-re-embarrassing-yourself-and/) [J.D. Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [“Before I was born she had bought herself a new home health care book. It was large and expensive, and it was a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/before-i-was-born-she-had-bought-herself-a-new-home-health-care-book/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [She the shit, She the one. She got cold feet, my love will be the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wale/she-the-shit-she-the-one-she-got-cold-feet-my-love-will-be-the-sun/) [Wale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wale/) > [I had been offered other shows, before 'Meri Awaaz...' but honestly, the very thought of long and grueling working hours of TV shows gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amrita-rao/i-had-been-offered-other-shows-before-meri-awaaz-but-honestly-the/) [Amrita Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amrita-rao/) > [Many a man has walked up to the opportunity for which he has long been preparing himself, looked it full in the face, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/many-a-man-has-walked-up-to-the-opportunity-for-which-he-has-long/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“It was in December. I stood in the back of the tram, all the way in the back. It drove through the country and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nescio/it-was-in-december-i-stood-in-the-back-of-the-tram-all-the-way-in-the/) [Nescio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nescio/) > [You cannot warm the hearts of people with God's love if they have an empty stomach and cold feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/you-cannot-warm-the-hearts-of-people-with-god-s-love-if-they-have-an/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) [Browse all 38 Cold feet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-feet/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't make a mistake when you improvise.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patti Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improvise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cold feet" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improvise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/855/patti-smith-394_cold-feet_you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improv_3159353.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't make a mistake when you improvise.” — Patti Smith", "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": "Patti Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't make a mistake when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improvise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/you-can-t-make-a-mistake-when-you-improvise/#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 } } ] } ```