--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I had made a mistake, but I was…" description: "\"“I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken.”\" — Sean Keogh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg" --- # I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken. ![“I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken.” quote by Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg) > ““I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken.”” [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker realized an initial belief was wrong, highlighting the importance of self‑correction. **In simple terms:** Realized a mistake. Key Takeaway Question assumptions quickly. Themes self‑awareness learning humility Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - making decisions - reflecting on actions - adapting plans Key Concepts cognitive bias error correction Questions to Reflect On - When have you mistaken a mistake for certainty? - How can you create checks for self‑deception? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can delay recognizing errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Mistaken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-mistaken-1420717/) [Mistaken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistaken/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-mistake-1130023/) ## Related quotes > [To know other people thought he'd made a mistake vindicated me. I wasn't a bad girlfriend, he was simply going through a period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/to-know-other-people-thought-he-d-made-a-mistake-vindicated-me-i-wasn/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [“I haven't been wrong since 1961, when I thought I made a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hudson/i-haven-t-been-wrong-since-1961-when-i-thought-i-made-a-mistake/) [Bob Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hudson/) > [ I remember the first check I got from The Who's recording \[of "Young Man Blues"\]. I'd been getting checks for $10 and $15 and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-remember-the-first-check-i-got-from-the-who-s-recording-of-young/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [“Witness: I thought it was a mistake. Based on what we knew at the time, it was a mistake to turn away from Patz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/witness-i-thought-it-was-a-mistake-based-on-what-we-knew-at-the-time/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [So much confusion about belief in God, morality, and science arises, not from what people say they believe, but rather from mistaken assumptions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-j-beckwith/so-much-confusion-about-belief-in-god-morality-and-science-arises-not/) [Francis J. Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-j-beckwith/) > [Even mistaken hypotheses and theories are of use in leading to discoveries. This remark is true in all the sciences. The alchemists founded chemistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-bernard/even-mistaken-hypotheses-and-theories-are-of-use-in-leading-to/) [Claude Bernard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-bernard/) > [Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/back-of-every-mistaken-venture-and-defeat-is-the-laughter-of-wisdom/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-ve-always-thought-that-you-don-t-love-a-country-by-turning-a-blind/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [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/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Sean Keogh > [“Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons: to them you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/don-t-meddle-in-the-affairs-of-dragons-to-them-you-are-crunchy-and/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“Dinner is ready when the smoke alarm goes off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/dinner-is-ready-when-the-smoke-alarm-goes-off/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“If at first you don't succeed, look in the trash for the instructions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-look-in-the-trash-for-the-instructions/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“How did the fool and his money get together in the first place?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/how-did-the-fool-and-his-money-get-together-in-the-first-place/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“My programs don't have bugs... they have random features.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/my-programs-don-t-have-bugs-they-have-random-features/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“I took an IQ test and the result came back negative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-took-an-iq-test-and-the-result-came-back-negative/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“I think, therefore I am... not related to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-think-therefore-i-am-not-related-to-you/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“Politics: A combination of "poli" meaning many, and "tics" meaning irritating little bugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/politics-a-combination-of-poli-meaning-many-and-tics-meaning/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“The reason people get lost in thought is that it's unfamiliar territory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/the-reason-people-get-lost-in-thought-is-that-it-s-unfamiliar/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" while looking for a bigger stick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/diplomacy-is-the-art-of-saying-nice-doggie-while-looking-for-a-bigger/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [If you don't like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/if-you-don-t-like-the-way-i-drive-stay-off-the-sidewalk/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“People who think they know everything are annoying to those of us who do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/people-who-think-they-know-everything-are-annoying-to-those-of-us-who/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“Never interrupt someone who is making a mistake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/never-interrupt-someone-who-is-making-a-mistake/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“I wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-should-have-been-more-specific/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [“Very funny, Scotty. Now beam me up my clothes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/very-funny-scotty-now-beam-me-up-my-clothes/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) [Explore all 23 Sean Keogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) ## 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": "“I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sean Keogh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was-mistaken/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was-mistaken/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/sean-keogh-25452_failure_i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was_2539527.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought I had made a mistake, but I was mistaken.” — Sean Keogh", "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": "Sean Keogh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I thought I had made a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was-mistaken/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-thought-i-had-made-a-mistake-but-i-was-mistaken/#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 } } ] } ```