--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This could be a big mistake... but it was…" description: "\"“This could be a big mistake... but it was already happening. I was not a girl with all the information, but I knew one thing. If this was my forever, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/sarah-dessen-110_big-mistake_this-could-be-a-big-mistake-but-it-was-a_928596.png" --- # This could be a big mistake... but it was already… ![“This could be a big mistake... but it was already happening. I was not a girl with all the information, but I knew one thing. If this was my forever, I didn't want to spend it here.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/sarah-dessen-110_big-mistake_this-could-be-a-big-mistake-but-it-was-a_928596.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/sarah-dessen-110_big-mistake_this-could-be-a-big-mistake-but-it-was-a_928596.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b6/sarah-dessen-110_big-mistake_this-could-be-a-big-mistake-but-it-was-a_928596.png) > ““This could be a big mistake... but it was already happening. I was not a girl with all the information, but I knew one thing. If this was my forever, I didn't want to spend it here.”” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mistake can become a defining path when one accepts uncertainty and seeks purpose. **In simple terms:** Mistakes can lead to meaningful journeys. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty and pursue what feels right. Themes growth self‑discovery choice uncertainty Mood hopeful introspective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career change - relationship decisions - travel plans - creative projects Key Concepts personal narrative coming‑of‑age Questions to Reflect On - What does “forever” mean to you? - How do you know when a mistake becomes a lesson? A Different Perspective Risk of staying stuck in a mistake without reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) ## Related quotes > [If loving you is a big mistake, I will never ever want to be right,i will always make the same mistake over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horla/if-loving-you-is-a-big-mistake-i-will-never-ever-want-to-be-right-i/) [Horla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horla/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I knew one thing. I did not want to be a mommy like mommy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-friedan/i-knew-one-thing-i-did-not-want-to-be-a-mommy-like-mommy/) [Betty Friedan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-friedan/) > [“She knew nothing of Ren except his name, his aptitude with vocabulary, the fact that he wasn’t in college, and the way his hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringle/she-knew-nothing-of-ren-except-his-name-his-aptitude-with-vocabulary/) [Molly Ringle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringle/) > [“Anyone who has made it big didn't know how they were going to doing it. They just knew one thing - they had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thomas/anyone-who-has-made-it-big-didn-t-know-how-they-were-going-to-doing/) john thomas > [But I knew one more thing. That people w ho denied who they were or where they had been were in the greatest danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/but-i-knew-one-more-thing-that-people-w-ho-denied-who-they-were-or/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [He knew one thing for sure, though. Whatever happened, Matt would have some handy excuse. He'd make up some story or change an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/he-knew-one-thing-for-sure-though-whatever-happened-matt-would-have/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [Perhaps you should put your head down.” I knew this was the thing to do, although I’ve never fainted and I don’t intend to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/perhaps-you-should-put-your-head-down-i-knew-this-was-the-thing-to-do/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I just knew how to do the one thing I did, and whether I did it well or not depended on who the director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-cooper/i-just-knew-how-to-do-the-one-thing-i-did-and-whether-i-did-it-well/) [Jackie Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-cooper/) > [At that moment he knew one thing. The only thing that mattered. He loved her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/at-that-moment-he-knew-one-thing-the-only-thing-that-mattered-he/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [They knew now that if there is one thing one can always yearn for, and sometimes attain, it is human love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/they-knew-now-that-if-there-is-one-thing-one-can-always-yearn-for-and/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“But I knew one more thing. That people who denied who they were or where they had been were in the greatest danger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/but-i-knew-one-more-thing-that-people-who-denied-who-they-were-or/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I knew one thing: as soon as anyone said you didn't need a gun, you'd better take one along that worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/i-knew-one-thing-as-soon-as-anyone-said-you-didn-t-need-a-gun-you-d/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' But if I had made a big mistake, they'd all be writing about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/the-press-keep-asking-me-what-was-your-biggest-mistake-but-if-i-had/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [One of the big mistakes Republicans made with the Contract with America is that they tried to do too much too fast, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gephardt/one-of-the-big-mistakes-republicans-made-with-the-contract-with/) [Dick Gephardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gephardt/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Big mistake quotes > [If loving you is a big mistake, I will never ever want to be right,i will always make the same mistake over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horla/if-loving-you-is-a-big-mistake-i-will-never-ever-want-to-be-right-i/) [Horla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horla/) > [“You never talk to the pitcher when…” He shook his head. “You just never talk to the pitcher when--” “I just wanted to congratulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/you-never-talk-to-the-pitcher-when-he-shook-his-head-you-just-never/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [If you don't make mistakes, you're not working on hard enough problems. And that's a big mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-wikzek/if-you-don-t-make-mistakes-you-re-not-working-on-hard-enough-problems/) F Wikzek > [“Hitler made only one big mistake when he built his Atlantic Wall,” the paratroopers liked to say. “He forgot to put a roof on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-e-ambrose/hitler-made-only-one-big-mistake-when-he-built-his-atlantic-wall-the/) [Stephen E. Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-e-ambrose/) > [Well I think its safe to say this week has been the worst week EVER I never I never thought I could get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talyiah/well-i-think-its-safe-to-say-this-week-has-been-the-worst-week-ever-i/) [Talyiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talyiah/) > [One of the big mistakes Republicans made with the Contract with America is that they tried to do too much too fast, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gephardt/one-of-the-big-mistakes-republicans-made-with-the-contract-with/) [Dick Gephardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gephardt/) > [The press keep asking me, 'What was your biggest mistake?' But if I had made a big mistake, they'd all be writing about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-livingstone/the-press-keep-asking-me-what-was-your-biggest-mistake-but-if-i-had/) [Ken Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-livingstone/) > [We have to keep trying things we're not sure we can pull off. If we just do the things we know we can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/we-have-to-keep-trying-things-we-re-not-sure-we-can-pull-off-if-we/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [“God figured out when he separated us from the rest of the creatures that if we have the power to reason and justify and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/god-figured-out-when-he-separated-us-from-the-rest-of-the-creatures/) [Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/) > [Taking me seriously is a big mistake. I certainly wouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/taking-me-seriously-is-a-big-mistake-i-certainly-wouldn-t/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I've lived so little that I tend to imagine I'm not going to die; it seems improbable that human existence can be reduced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/i-ve-lived-so-little-that-i-tend-to-imagine-i-m-not-going-to-die-it/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [One big mistake that we made in Delhi is that we made it a low-rise city which means that rich people have nice green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/one-big-mistake-that-we-made-in-delhi-is-that-we-made-it-a-low-rise/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [The feeling of being deceived, completely betrayed by someone so close to your clueless heart. You tell them everything, all the emotions and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-feeling-of-being-deceived-completely-betrayed-by-someone-so-close/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The Gift of Gab She continued by saying, “Many people dismiss small talk as being a waste of time. If you think small talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/the-gift-of-gab-she-continued-by-saying-many-people-dismiss-small/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) Browse all 285 Big mistake quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This could be a big mistake... but it was already happening. I was not a girl with all the information, but I knew one thing. 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