--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So next time someone complains that you…" description: "\"So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good thing. Because without imperfection, neither you nor I would e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg" --- # So next time someone complains that you have made a… ![“So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good thing. Because without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist” quote by Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg) > “So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good thing. Because without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist” [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mistakes are valuable; they reveal growth opportunities and are essential to existence. **In simple terms:** Mistakes are good because they teach. Key Takeaway Embrace errors as learning chances. Themes growth resilience learning Mood reflective optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - team management - innovation - scientific research Key Concepts psychology systems theory Questions to Reflect On - What mistake taught you the most? - How can you turn a flaw into a strength? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) [Complains Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complains-mistake-5003870/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Imperfection Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection-exist-3967868/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Made a mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made-a-mistake/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-tell-3271976/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Thing Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-imperfection-5003869/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist…Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/one-of-the-basic-rules-of-the-universe-is-that-nothing-is-perfect/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Without imperfection, you or I would not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/without-imperfection-you-or-i-would-not-exist/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“A simple mistake…can tell me what you’re not, or it can remind me of why I should love you.” (404 Error=Page Not Found)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renny-gleeson-tedtalks/a-simple-mistake-can-tell-me-what-you-re-not-or-it-can-remind-me-of/) [Renny Gleeson TEDTalks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renny-gleeson-tedtalks/) > [I can fool you because you're a human. You have a wonderful human mind that works no different from my human mind. Usually when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-andrus/i-can-fool-you-because-you-re-a-human-you-have-a-wonderful-human-mind/) [Jerry Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-andrus/) > [We are all flawed, my dear. Every one of us. And believe me, we've all made mistakes. You've just got to take a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/we-are-all-flawed-my-dear-every-one-of-us-and-believe-me-we-ve-all/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [Successful people keep moving, even when they are discouraged and have made mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cottrell/successful-people-keep-moving-even-when-they-are-discouraged-and-have/) [David Cottrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cottrell/) > [I don’t think it's weak to admit you made a mistake. That takes strength, if you ask me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-don-t-think-it-s-weak-to-admit-you-made-a-mistake-that-takes/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [As you consider your own life, are there things that you need to change? Have you made mistakes that still need to be corrected?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-scott-grow/as-you-consider-your-own-life-are-there-things-that-you-need-to/) [C. Scott Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-scott-grow/) > [If you're honest with yourself, that's the first step in maturing and becoming a better person. If you suppress your shortcomings and fears, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-millard/if-you-re-honest-with-yourself-that-s-the-first-step-in-maturing-and/) [Keith Millard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-millard/) > [I made mistakes. I can’t whine about it. I’m the one that messed up and I’m paying the consequences. However, if I am given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-made-mistakes-i-can-t-whine-about-it-i-m-the-one-that-messed-up-and/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I didn't get the degree because in my last year, for my thesis film I made a feature called Permanent Vacation and they'd given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-didn-t-get-the-degree-because-in-my-last-year-for-my-thesis-film-i/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [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/) > [You know, the benefit in life is to say, 'Maybe you made a mistake, let's dig deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/you-know-the-benefit-in-life-is-to-say-maybe-you-made-a-mistake-let-s/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [First and foremost, be faithful to your superiors, keep all promises, refuse the friendship of all who are not like you; and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/first-and-foremost-be-faithful-to-your-superiors-keep-all-promises/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There are mothers that feel they made a mistake by having a kid at a very young age and they didn't get to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letoya-luckett/there-are-mothers-that-feel-they-made-a-mistake-by-having-a-kid-at-a/) [LeToya Luckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letoya-luckett/) ## More by Stephen Hawking > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [We are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-are-the-product-of-quantum-fluctuations-in-the-very-early-universe/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The human race does not have a very good record of intelligent behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-does-not-have-a-very-good-record-of-intelligent/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“We have finally found something that doesn’t have a cause, because there was no time for a cause to exist in. For me this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-have-finally-found-something-that-doesn-t-have-a-cause-because/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-the-simplest-explanation-is-there-is-no-god-no-one-created/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-paralympic-games-is-about-transforming-our-perception-of-the-world/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-increase-of-disorder-or-entropy-is-what-distinguishes-the-past/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Most sets of values would give rise to universes that, although they might be very beautiful, would contain no one able to wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/most-sets-of-values-would-give-rise-to-universes-that-although-they/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/there-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-religion-which-is-based-on/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“In the eighteenth century, philosophers considered the whole of human knowledge, including science, to be their field and discussed questions such as: Did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/in-the-eighteenth-century-philosophers-considered-the-whole-of-human/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/a-model-is-a-good-model-if-first-it-interprets-a-wide-range-of/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“Empedocles noticed that if you cover the neck before you immerse it, a clepsydra does not fill. He reasoned that something invisible must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/empedocles-noticed-that-if-you-cover-the-neck-before-you-immerse-it-a/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let's hope we can avoid dropping the basket until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-shouldn-t-have-all-its-eggs-in-one-basket-or-on-one/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I hope I have helped to raise the profile of science and to show that physics is not a mystery but can be understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-hope-i-have-helped-to-raise-the-profile-of-science-and-to-show-that/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) [Explore all 601 Stephen Hawking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) [Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good thing. Because without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Hawking" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you-have-made-a-mistake-tell-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complaining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you-have-made-a-mistake-tell-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/604/stephen-hawking-389_complaining_so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you_617752.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good thing. Because…” — Stephen Hawking", "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": "Stephen Hawking", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "So next time someone complains that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you-have-made-a-mistake-tell-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/so-next-time-someone-complains-that-you-have-made-a-mistake-tell-him/#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 } } ] } ```