Discovery Quote by Samuel Smiles
“We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Self‑Help, 1859
Mistakes reveal what doesn’t work; by learning from failures we make discoveries, while avoiding error prevents progress.
In simple terms: Learning from what fails leads to new ideas.
Key Takeaway
Embrace failure as a path to discovery.
Themes
growth
learning
innovation
Mood
encouraging
reflective
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- entrepreneurship
- research labs
- personal development
- education
Key Concepts
trial and error
resilience
curiosity
scientific method
Questions to Reflect On
- What recent mistake taught you something valuable?
- How can you turn a setback into insight?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on failure can cause discouragement.
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![“That has been another interesting discovery: that basically a city [Lagos] could recover from a really deep, deep, deep pit.” quote by Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/61e/rem-koolhaas-5371_cities_that-has-been-another-interesting-discov_15915.jpg)
