--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that when you're wrong, own it…" description: "\"I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize, and so I do and put it on the equivalent of my front page.\" — Peter Coyote" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png" --- # I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize… ![“I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize, and so I do and put it on the equivalent of my front page.” quote by Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png) > “I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize, and so I do and put it on the equivalent of my front page.” [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Admitting mistakes publicly builds trust and accountability. **In simple terms:** Own errors openly. Key Takeaway Apologize and correct publicly. Themes integrity accountability trust Mood serious reflective Type ethical practical When to use this quote - media statements - team meetings - social media posts - personal apologies Key Concepts ethical leadership public discourse Questions to Reflect On - When should you apologize publicly? - How does transparency affect relationships? A Different Perspective Public apologies may be scrutinized harshly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologize/) [Apologize Equivalent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologize-equivalent-3317682/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-wrong/) [Equivalent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equivalent/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [I believe that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-that/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/page/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong/) [Wrong Apologize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-apologize-338616/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [“If I have to err, it’s on the side of assuming the worst. This way, if I’m wrong, I can always apologize. Or send…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/if-i-have-to-err-it-s-on-the-side-of-assuming-the-worst-this-way-if-i/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [STOP, if know it's wrong.. THINK, when you don't know if it's wrong.. APOLOGIZE, if you did something wrong.. FORGIVE, if they've done something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristos07/stop-if-know-it-s-wrong-think-when-you-don-t-know-if-it-s-wrong/) [Cristos07](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristos07/) > [If you have done something wrong apologize. If someone has done you wrong forgive. Life is too short for hastening and too long for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-have-done-something-wrong-apologize-if-someone-has-done-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It takes a truly great man to see that he’s been wrong and to apologize for it, even in the face of the obvious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lane/it-takes-a-truly-great-man-to-see-that-he-s-been-wrong-and-to/) [Amy Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lane/) > [I feel like when you're wrong you should admit you're wrong and apologize . Why lose somebody you care/cared about for nothing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-like-when-you-re-wrong-you-should-admit-you-re-wrong-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I love you," "I was wrong," and "I apologize" are powerful words. They can save marriages, deepen friendships, and change lives. Don't be afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkins/i-love-you-i-was-wrong-and-i-apologize-are-powerful-words-they-can/) [John Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkins/) > [Don't apologize for what you think you did wrong. Apologize for what they think you did wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/don-t-apologize-for-what-you-think-you-did-wrong-apologize-for-what/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“He silently thanked Avery and their six years of marriage for teaching him a very valuable lesson. Know when you're wrong. And when you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-hawk/he-silently-thanked-avery-and-their-six-years-of-marriage-for/) [Steven L. Hawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-hawk/) > [I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and violates my, or any, sense of right and wrong. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/i-have-acted-in-a-way-that-violates-my-obligations-to-my-family-and/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [In 2001, Texaco was bought by Chevron, and during deliberations concerning that sale, an 800 page document listing the problems and liabilities connected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/in-2001-texaco-was-bought-by-chevron-and-during-deliberations/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [It is always better to have no ideas than false ones; to believe nothing, than to believe what is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/it-is-always-better-to-have-no-ideas-than-false-ones-to-believe/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“If you are going to have ideas ahead of the times, you will have to get used to living with the fact that most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lloyd/if-you-are-going-to-have-ideas-ahead-of-the-times-you-will-have-to/) [Bruce Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lloyd/) > [I must tell you that I should really like to think there's something wrong with me- Because, if there isn't, then there's something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-must-tell-you-that-i-should-really-like-to-think-there-s-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who share a muddled, careless, or deceitful attitude towards gathering evidence often find themselves drawn to eachother's fantasies. If you believe one wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-thompson/people-who-share-a-muddled-careless-or-deceitful-attitude-towards/) [Damian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-thompson/) > [I was made to believe there's something wrong with me,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-was-made-to-believe-there-s-something-wrong-with-me/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) ## More by Peter Coyote > [The terrible thing about being an actor is that it's not a solo occupation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/the-terrible-thing-about-being-an-actor-is-that-it-s-not-a-solo/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [I would say 90 percent of my mail and phone calls are from people who want some kind of help or succor or commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-would-say-90-percent-of-my-mail-and-phone-calls-are-from-people-who/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [In 2001, Texaco was bought by Chevron, and during deliberations concerning that sale, an 800 page document listing the problems and liabilities connected to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/in-2001-texaco-was-bought-by-chevron-and-during-deliberations/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [My gift seems to be that I am able to tell a story in a comprehensible and engaging way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/my-gift-seems-to-be-that-i-am-able-to-tell-a-story-in-a/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [I think you have a social responsibility as the villain, which is pretty different from the hero's responsibility. 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I think if you cross the line and begin using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-think-it-s-good-that-people-value-their-bodies-and-take-care-of/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [When I got to Grinnell College, I was part of the black turtleneck sweater and Camel cigarette crowd of poets and writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/when-i-got-to-grinnell-college-i-was-part-of-the-black-turtleneck/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [Writing is something I can do by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/writing-is-something-i-can-do-by-myself/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [When I went to get my master's in creative writing at San Francisco State after Grinnell, I joined the moribund remnants of the Actor's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/when-i-went-to-get-my-master-s-in-creative-writing-at-san-francisco/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [Once you accept anything as tacked down, then you begin to build a structure, to accept limits. Then you have to make a choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/once-you-accept-anything-as-tacked-down-then-you-begin-to-build-a/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [Acting is the way I make my living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/acting-is-the-way-i-make-my-living/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [My house and my garden are built as part of nature, not over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/my-house-and-my-garden-are-built-as-part-of-nature-not-over-it/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [My dad was a very violent, frightening and dangerous guy. Next to him, I was this vague kind of kid who walked around, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/my-dad-was-a-very-violent-frightening-and-dangerous-guy-next-to-him-i/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [Business is a subset of the environment, not the other way around. You can't have a healthy economy, you can't have a healthy anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/business-is-a-subset-of-the-environment-not-the-other-way-around-you/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [Young people, for whom I should have been a role model and an uncle, duplicated my worst habits and died as a result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/young-people-for-whom-i-should-have-been-a-role-model-and-an-uncle/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) [Explore all 42 Peter Coyote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) ## More Apologize quotes > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) [Elizabeth Tambascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-tambascio/) > [“Sorry I wish you could apologize to something you broke and it brings it back to what it was without losing its core I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rania-naim/sorry-i-wish-you-could-apologize-to-something-you-broke-and-it-brings/) [Rania Naim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rania-naim/) > [I'm sorry I want to apologize for being careless and hurting your feelings. Please forgive me ! I'm a jerk your friendship means a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/i-m-sorry-i-want-to-apologize-for-being-careless-and-hurting-your/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [A jerk will keep hurting you then apologize to keep you from leaving them, and then do it all over again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/a-jerk-will-keep-hurting-you-then-apologize-to-keep-you-from-leaving/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hollinghurst/to-apologize-for-what-you-most-wanted-to-do-to-concede-that-it-was/) [Alan Hollinghurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hollinghurst/) > [To truly repent of a big thing, you have to go into it with your heart open and force yourself to deal with it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-wilkinson/to-truly-repent-of-a-big-thing-you-have-to-go-into-it-with-your-heart/) [Bruce Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-wilkinson/) > [I would like to publicly apologize to anyone I have NOT offended¦I will get to you shortly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-would-like-to-publicly-apologize-to-anyone-i-have-not-offended-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [To the millions of Americans whove attempted to use HealthCare.gov to shop and enroll in health-care coverage, I want to apologize to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-tavenner/to-the-millions-of-americans-whove-attempted-to-use-healthcare-gov-to/) [Marilyn Tavenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-tavenner/) > [“When someone says that it's too late for apologize when you have to do it anyway because it's your duty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-teris-bit-ns/when-someone-says-that-it-s-too-late-for-apologize-when-you-have-to/) [Pēteris Bitāns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-teris-bit-ns/) > [Life is short so, kiss slowly, forgive quickly, and love deeply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney/life-is-short-so-kiss-slowly-forgive-quickly-and-love-deeply/) [Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney/) > [Life is too short to worry about stupid things. Have fun, fall in love, and regret nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/life-is-too-short-to-worry-about-stupid-things-have-fun-fall-in-love/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [I ain't never going to apologize for a 21-point win over a state rival, ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/i-ain-t-never-going-to-apologize-for-a-21-point-win-over-a-state/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) [Browse all 900 Apologize quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologize/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize, and so I do and put it on the equivalent of my front page.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Coyote" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it-and-apologize-and-so-i-do-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apologize" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it-and-apologize-and-so-i-do-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/peter-coyote-15778_apologize_i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it_1160055.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that when you're wrong, own it and apologize, and so I do and put it on the equivalent of my front…” — Peter Coyote", "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": "Peter Coyote", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe that when you're wrong,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it-and-apologize-and-so-i-do-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-believe-that-when-you-re-wrong-own-it-and-apologize-and-so-i-do-and/#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 } } ] } ```