--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like to think that even if we make some…" description: "\"I like to think that even if we make some really bad choices and go down some bad paths, we'll eventually emerge from it.\" — Tim O'Reilly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png" --- # I like to think that even if we make some really bad… ![“I like to think that even if we make some really bad choices and go down some bad paths, we'll eventually emerge from it.” quote by Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png) > “I like to think that even if we make some really bad choices and go down some bad paths, we'll eventually emerge from it.” [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even poor decisions can lead to eventual growth and redemption; mistakes are part of learning. **In simple terms:** Bad choices can still lead to positive outcomes. Key Takeaway Learn from errors and keep moving forward. Themes mistakes growth redemption learning Mood optimistic reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - startup pivots - career changes - personal crises - product development Key Concepts psychology innovation Questions to Reflect On - What past mistake taught you the most? - How can you turn a bad decision into growth? A Different Perspective Not all mistakes are recoverable; some cause lasting harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) [Bad choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-choices/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Choices Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices-bad-691938/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Emerge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emerge/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Eventually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventually/) [Eventually Emerge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eventually-emerge-5935682/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Paths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paths/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) ## Related quotes > [“You don’t understand how the world works. That there are consequences you can’t predict. That bad choices, bad deeds, can corrupt you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/you-don-t-understand-how-the-world-works-that-there-are-consequences/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [We are all living this dance and it is clearly fraught with making choices. Lots of my choices are bad and that's normal. None…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-dubus/we-are-all-living-this-dance-and-it-is-clearly-fraught-with-making/) [Andre Dubus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-dubus/) > [“Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones, but you still have to choose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mathieson/sometimes-the-only-choices-you-have-are-bad-ones-but-you-still-have/) [Jamie Mathieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mathieson/) > [Sarah Michelle Gellar's made some really good choices. She's had some bad breaks. She goes with the independent, interesting young filmmakers and then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/sarah-michelle-gellar-s-made-some-really-good-choices-she-s-had-some/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“You're talking like the choices others made were the only choices someone could make given the choices you made." Mireya paused. "I think." "That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-c-mock/you-re-talking-like-the-choices-others-made-were-the-only-choices/) [Elizabeth C. Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-c-mock/) > [“History is a record of good choices and bad, the people who made them, and the consequences of those choices.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgell/history-is-a-record-of-good-choices-and-bad-the-people-who-made-them/) [John Edgell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgell/) > [Good choices or bad, if you never take chances, someone else will build your life for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakare/good-choices-or-bad-if-you-never-take-chances-someone-else-will-build/) [Bakare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakare/) > [“Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever and affect everyone in their path one way or another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-e-b-spredemann/choices-made-whether-bad-or-good-follow-you-forever-and-affect/) [J.E.B. Spredemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-e-b-spredemann/) > [My father so appropriately put it that we are certainly the only animal that makes conscious choices that are bad for our survival as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-leakey/my-father-so-appropriately-put-it-that-we-are-certainly-the-only/) [Louise Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-leakey/) > [If companies don't think systemically enough - if they try to capture too much of the value - eventually, innovation moves somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/if-companies-don-t-think-systemically-enough-if-they-try-to-capture/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [The blessings of the priesthood are available to every righteous man and woman. We may all receive the Holy Ghost, obtain personal revelation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/the-blessings-of-the-priesthood-are-available-to-every-righteous-man/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [Just be. Let your true nature emerge. Don't disturb your mind with seeking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/just-be-let-your-true-nature-emerge-don-t-disturb-your-mind-with/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [After spending 460 days as a hostage, I did emerge a fundamentally changed person. But I think, like everyone does as they grow older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lindhout/after-spending-460-days-as-a-hostage-i-did-emerge-a-fundamentally/) [Amanda Lindhout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lindhout/) > [My songs emerge from my life, or wherever they do, unbidden and unplanned and completely on a schedule of their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/my-songs-emerge-from-my-life-or-wherever-they-do-unbidden-and/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [As a registered Democrat, I am praying for a credible presidential candidate to emerge from the younger tier of politicians in their late 40s.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/as-a-registered-democrat-i-am-praying-for-a-credible-presidential/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) ## More by Tim O'Reilly > [Empowerment of individuals is a key part of what makes open source work, since in the end, innovations tend to come from small groups,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/empowerment-of-individuals-is-a-key-part-of-what-makes-open-source/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [In social networks, you gain and bestow status through those you associate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/in-social-networks-you-gain-and-bestow-status-through-those-you/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Programming is how we talk to the machines that are increasingly woven into our lives. If you aren't a programmer, you're like one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/programming-is-how-we-talk-to-the-machines-that-are-increasingly/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [When you have to prove the value of your ideas by persuading other people to pay for them, it clears out an awful lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/when-you-have-to-prove-the-value-of-your-ideas-by-persuading-other/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Anyone who puts a small gloss on a fundamental technology, calls it proprietary, and then tries to keep others from building on it, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/anyone-who-puts-a-small-gloss-on-a-fundamental-technology-calls-it/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [We often get blinded by the forms in which content is produced, rather than the job that the content does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/we-often-get-blinded-by-the-forms-in-which-content-is-produced-rather/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [It's hard to make something as large as a government change. It's a little bit like building the transcontinental railroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/it-s-hard-to-make-something-as-large-as-a-government-change-it-s-a/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [The problem for most artists isn't piracy, it's obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-problem-for-most-artists-isn-t-piracy-it-s-obscurity/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [We were the first people to do advertising on the Web. I actually saw in 1993 that the ad could be the content, the destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/we-were-the-first-people-to-do-advertising-on-the-web-i-actually-saw/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/obscurity-is-a-far-greater-threat-to-authors-and-creative-artists/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [You have to pay attention to money, but it shouldn't be about the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/you-have-to-pay-attention-to-money-but-it-shouldn-t-be-about-the-money/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [The thing we should all be looking for are people who want to make a difference. I'm a big believer in the Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-thing-we-should-all-be-looking-for-are-people-who-want-to-make-a/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Amazon is now the definitive source for data about whole sets of products - fungible consumer products. EBay is the authoritative source for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/amazon-is-now-the-definitive-source-for-data-about-whole-sets-of/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Everybody's enamored of the iPhone, the Google phone. But the applications are going to change. You know, we're going to start using our phones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/everybody-s-enamored-of-the-iphone-the-google-phone-but-the/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) > [Being too early is indistinguishable from being wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/being-too-early-is-indistinguishable-from-being-wrong/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) [Explore all 94 Tim O'Reilly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) ## More Bad quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Unfortunately, we all go through bad phases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushmita-sen/unfortunately-we-all-go-through-bad-phases/) [Sushmita Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushmita-sen/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [“If any woman opens her legs for you, don't feel so lucky to be fed with nonsense, she has been a bitch for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-any-woman-opens-her-legs-for-you-don-t-feel-so-lucky-to-be-fed/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [Obviously I'm very grateful 'Bad Guy' is doing so well - it's shocking and surprising and gratifying - but I do think it's important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finneas/obviously-i-m-very-grateful-bad-guy-is-doing-so-well-it-s-shocking/) [Finneas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finneas/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) [Browse all 7,973 Bad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I like to think that even if we make some really bad choices and go down some bad paths, we'll eventually emerge from it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tim O'Reilly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-some-really-bad-choices-and-go/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-some-really-bad-choices-and-go/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06c/tim-o-reilly-7147_bad_i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-som_1574718.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I like to think that even if we make some really bad choices and go down some bad paths, we'll eventually…” — Tim O'Reilly", "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": "Tim O'Reilly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I like to think that even...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-some-really-bad-choices-and-go/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/i-like-to-think-that-even-if-we-make-some-really-bad-choices-and-go/#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 } } ] } ```