---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To make mistakes is human; to stumble is…"
description: "\"To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.\" — William Arthur Ward"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png"
---

#  To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to…

![“To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.” quote by William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png)

> “To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.”

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

## 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 natural, stumbling is common, and laughing at oneself shows maturity.

**In simple terms:** Accept errors, learn, and keep humor to grow.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility and humor.

Themes

mistakes humor growth maturity

Mood

reflective encouraging

Type

self-help inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal development
- conflict resolution
- teaching
- teamwork

Key Concepts

psychology self-awareness resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- How can humor be used without avoiding responsibility?
- When should we take mistakes more seriously?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on humor may downplay seriousness of errors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Laugh at yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laugh-at-yourself/) [Maturity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maturity/)

## Related quotes

> [“Apology accepted. Everyone makes mistakes. You are part-human after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-w-simpson/apology-accepted-everyone-makes-mistakes-you-are-part-human-after-all/)

[Phillip W. Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-w-simpson/)

> [Most of us believe that we need to be hard on ourselves to perform at our best, but that's wrong. When things are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/most-of-us-believe-that-we-need-to-be-hard-on-ourselves-to-perform-at/)

[DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/)

> [“One must be without error out here. Walk in a single file. Work quietly. Pack an extra number 2 pencil. Make no mistakes. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/one-must-be-without-error-out-here-walk-in-a-single-file-work-quietly/)

[Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/)

> [Mistakes are a part of being human, appreciate ur mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mistakes-are-a-part-of-being-human-appreciate-ur-mistakes-for-what/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I maybe made some mistakes, but I'm only human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-maybe-made-some-mistakes-but-i-m-only-human/)

[Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/)

> [We all make mistakes. It's human. Just learn from them. Repeating them and being aware of it is the dangerous bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/we-all-make-mistakes-it-s-human-just-learn-from-them-repeating-them/)

[Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/)

> [The biggest mistakes by most human beings: listening half; understanding quarter, and telling double.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-mistakes-by-most-human-beings-listening-half/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm aware of the decisions I make and the responsibility I have as a role model. I wouldn't disregard that. It's a privilege. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-scott/i-m-aware-of-the-decisions-i-make-and-the-responsibility-i-have-as-a/)

[Naomi Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-scott/)

> [Top players or experienced players make mistakes because we are human beings, we are people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-caballero/top-players-or-experienced-players-make-mistakes-because-we-are-human/)

[Willy Caballero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willy-caballero/)

> [I think that when you’re in the public eye, you automatically become a role model, because people are reading about you and looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-fanning/i-think-that-when-you-re-in-the-public-eye-you-automatically-become-a/)

[Dakota Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-fanning/)

> [Making mistakes is human ... repeating 'em is too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/making-mistakes-is-human-repeating-em-is-too/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [Give yourself room to make mistakes because you're human. We've got to make mistakes, and allow ourselves to make those mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockmond-dunbar/give-yourself-room-to-make-mistakes-because-you-re-human-we-ve-got-to/)

[Rockmond Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockmond-dunbar/)

> [We all make mistakes. We're human. Hopefully, everyone -- like I am -- will have that attitude. I'm not upset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-mccready/we-all-make-mistakes-we-re-human-hopefully-everyone-like-i-am-will/)

[Mindy McCready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-mccready/)

> [To make mistakes is human, but to profit from them is divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/to-make-mistakes-is-human-but-to-profit-from-them-is-divine/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

> [“Take these things to heart, my son, I warn you. All men make mistakes, it is only human. But once the wrong is done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/take-these-things-to-heart-my-son-i-warn-you-all-men-make-mistakes-it/)

[Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/)

## More by William Arthur Ward

> [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-you-can-imagine-it-you-can-create-it-if-you-can-dream-it-you-can/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-friend-is-one-with-whom-you-are-comfortable-to-whom-you-are-loyal/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn. We must learn before we can prepare. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/we-must-be-silent-before-we-can-listen-we-must-listen-before-we-can/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [The greatest failure is the failure to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/the-greatest-failure-is-the-failure-to-try/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Too many of us hear without heeding, read without responding, confess without changing, profess without practicing, worship without witnessing, and seek without sharing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/too-many-of-us-hear-without-heeding-read-without-responding-confess/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [“‎"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/do-more-than-belong-participate-do-more-than-care-help-do-more-than/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [There is one thing we can do better than anyone else: we can be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/there-is-one-thing-we-can-do-better-than-anyone-else-we-can-be/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Enthusiasm is the match that lights the candle of achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/enthusiasm-is-the-match-that-lights-the-candle-of-achievement/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Today's patience can transform yesterday's discouragements into tomorrow's discoveries. Today's purposes can turn yesterday's defeats into tomorrow's determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/today-s-patience-can-transform-yesterday-s-discouragements-into/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [A life lived without forgiveness is a prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-life-lived-without-forgiveness-is-a-prison/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering a room others by leaving the room. Some individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/every-person-has-the-power-to-make-others-happy-some-do-it-simply-by/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Prepare while others are daydreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/prepare-while-others-are-daydreaming/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Every day is a good day to examine our prime-time priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/every-day-is-a-good-day-to-examine-our-prime-time-priorities/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Another fresh new year is here... Another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/another-fresh-new-year-is-here-another-year-to-live-to-banish-worry/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

[Explore all 155 William Arthur Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [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/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

Greg Perry

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

Browse all 17,257 Able quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Arthur Ward"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is-commonplace-to-be-able-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is-commonplace-to-be-able-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/william-arthur-ward-2681_able_to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is_570671.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity.” — William Arthur Ward",
                "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": "William Arthur Ward",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "To make mistakes is human; to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is-commonplace-to-be-able-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/to-make-mistakes-is-human-to-stumble-is-commonplace-to-be-able-to/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
