--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You've got to work with your mistakes…" description: "\"You've got to work with your mistakes until they look intended. Understand?\" — Raymond Carver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/raymond-carver-2821_failure_you-ve-got-to-work-with-your-mistakes-un_255684.png" --- # You've got to work with your mistakes until they look… ![“You've got to work with your mistakes until they look intended. Understand?” quote by Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/raymond-carver-2821_failure_you-ve-got-to-work-with-your-mistakes-un_255684.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/raymond-carver-2821_failure_you-ve-got-to-work-with-your-mistakes-un_255684.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de9/raymond-carver-2821_failure_you-ve-got-to-work-with-your-mistakes-un_255684.png) > “You've got to work with your mistakes until they look intended. Understand?” [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embrace mistakes and refine them until they appear purposeful. **In simple terms:** Turn errors into intentional outcomes. Key Takeaway Iterate on mistakes until they serve your goal. Themes growth resilience creativity Mood reflective encouraging Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - product development - writing - software debugging - personal habits Key Concepts learning adaptation design thinking Questions to Reflect On - What mistake can you reframe as a feature? - When does fixing a mistake become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Over‑refining can mask underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) ## Related quotes > [Sticking to good habits can be hard work, and mistakes are part of the process. 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We are given senses to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophy-burnham/to-believe-in-god-or-in-a-guiding-force-because-someone-tells-you-to/) [Sophy Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophy-burnham/) > [Don't judge me on my mistakes, take a look at yourself first and if you don't see anything THEN come back to me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-judge-me-on-my-mistakes-take-a-look-at-yourself-first-and-if/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Our greatest mistakes, if we look at them, and digest them, and interact with them, and learn from them¦ they can be the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-greatest-mistakes-if-we-look-at-them-and-digest-them-and-interact/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You wont ever have to worry, you wont ever have to hide, you've seen all my mistakes, so look me in my eyes...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/you-wont-ever-have-to-worry-you-wont-ever-have-to-hide-you-ve-seen/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Don't judge others by their mistakes, take a look at your own first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-judge-others-by-their-mistakes-take-a-look-at-your-own-first/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I don't look into negative things. Go past mistakes and look forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/i-don-t-look-into-negative-things-go-past-mistakes-and-look-forward/) [Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/) > [Everybody makes mistakes; look at Hitler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/everybody-makes-mistakes-look-at-hitler/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [“The ability to recognize the mistakes is a hugely useful tool. A bigger mouth or an ill-placed feature - these 'mistakes' can often look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christos-tsimaris/the-ability-to-recognize-the-mistakes-is-a-hugely-useful-tool-a/) Christos Tsimaris > [“When someone points out your past mistakes, look at them dead in the eyes and follow with, 'and I’d do it all again to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pearce/when-someone-points-out-your-past-mistakes-look-at-them-dead-in-the/) [Dan Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pearce/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [When you make mistakes during routines, it's not easy getting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-sacramone/when-you-make-mistakes-during-routines-it-s-not-easy-getting-through/) [Alicia Sacramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-sacramone/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Raymond Carver > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [My heart is broken,” she goes. “It’s turned to a piece of stone. I’m no good. That’s what’s as bad as anything, that I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/my-heart-is-broken-she-goes-it-s-turned-to-a-piece-of-stone-i-m-no/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“You sound like a nice man,” the woman said. “Do I? Well, that’s nice of you to say.” He knew he should hang up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-sound-like-a-nice-man-the-woman-said-do-i-well-that-s-nice-of-you/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Life and death matters, yes. And the question of how to behave in this world, how to go in the face of everything. Time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/life-and-death-matters-yes-and-the-question-of-how-to-behave-in-this/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [The places where water comes together with other water. Those places stand out in my mind like holy places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/the-places-where-water-comes-together-with-other-water-those-places/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [A man can go along obeying all the rules and then it don't matter a damn anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/a-man-can-go-along-obeying-all-the-rules-and-then-it-don-t-matter-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“You see, this happened a few months ago, but it's still going on right now, and it ought to make us feel ashamed when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-see-this-happened-a-few-months-ago-but-it-s-still-going-on-right/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I've crossed some kind of invisible line. I feel as if I've come to a place I never thought I'd have to come to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-ve-crossed-some-kind-of-invisible-line-i-feel-as-if-i-ve-come-to-a/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Art doesn't have to do anything. It just has to be there for the fierce pleasure we take in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/art-doesn-t-have-to-do-anything-it-just-has-to-be-there-for-the/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [“But here is the thing. When he gets on me, I suddenly feel I am fat. I feel am terrifically fat, so fat that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/but-here-is-the-thing-when-he-gets-on-me-i-suddenly-feel-i-am-fat-i/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [There are significant moments in everyone's day that can make literature. That's what you ought to write about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/there-are-significant-moments-in-everyone-s-day-that-can-make/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [The fiction Im most interested in has lines of reference to the real world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/the-fiction-im-most-interested-in-has-lines-of-reference-to-the-real/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [Don’t complain, don’t explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/don-t-complain-don-t-explain/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [It's strange. You never start out life with the intention of becoming a bankrupt or an alcoholic or a cheat and a thief. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/it-s-strange-you-never-start-out-life-with-the-intention-of-becoming/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I am a cigarette with a body attached to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/i-am-a-cigarette-with-a-body-attached-to-it/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) [Explore all 134 Raymond Carver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You've got to work with your mistakes until they look intended. 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