--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're not making mistakes, you're not…" description: "\"If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying.\" — Wynton Marsalis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png" --- # If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying. ![“If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying.” quote by Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png) > “If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying.” [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) ## 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 evidence of effort and growth; avoiding them means avoiding progress. **In simple terms:** Mistakes show you’re trying. Key Takeaway Embrace errors as learning tools. Themes growth risk creativity Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal projects - skill development - artistic practice - entrepreneurship Key Concepts learning theory resilience Questions to Reflect On - What recent mistake taught you the most? - How can you turn a failure into a lesson? A Different Perspective Mistakes can be costly if not managed; not all errors lead to improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Guitar music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar-music/) [Guitarist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitarist/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) [Same mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same-mistakes/) ## Related quotes > [You have to have the kind of personality where you're resilient and you can get up and keep moving and learn what there is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trip-hawkins/you-have-to-have-the-kind-of-personality-where-you-re-resilient-and/) [Trip Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trip-hawkins/) > [It's always helpful to learn from your mistakes because then your mistakes seem worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-marshall/it-s-always-helpful-to-learn-from-your-mistakes-because-then-your/) [Garry Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-marshall/) > [The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. 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We're so primal still in our way of thinking and reacting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/we-just-keep-making-the-same-mistakes-we-re-so-primal-still-in-our/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [When I decided that I wanted to go to college, I wanted to be a school teacher for 7th and 8th grade boys because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/when-i-decided-that-i-wanted-to-go-to-college-i-wanted-to-be-a-school/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/but-race-is-an-issue-that-i-believe-this-nation-cannot-afford-to/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [If you aren't making any mistakes, you aren't innovating. If you're making the same mistakes, you aren't learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/if-you-aren-t-making-any-mistakes-you-aren-t-innovating-if-you-re/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The kind of approach I take is different from much of experimental philosophy. Although the experimental philosophers and I are certainly in agreement about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-kornblith/the-kind-of-approach-i-take-is-different-from-much-of-experimental/) [Hilary Kornblith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-kornblith/) > [Just because I've written extensively about race doesn't render me incapable of making the same mistakes as the people I've written about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/just-because-i-ve-written-extensively-about-race-doesn-t-render-me/) [Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/) > [I guess if you keep making the same mistake long enough, it becomes your style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/i-guess-if-you-keep-making-the-same-mistake-long-enough-it-becomes/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) ## More by Wynton Marsalis > [I never minded giving my opinions. They are just opinions, and I had studied music and I had strong feelings. I was happy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-never-minded-giving-my-opinions-they-are-just-opinions-and-i-had/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I always read all these books about the slaves. My mother is very educated. My father would talk to us like we were grown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-always-read-all-these-books-about-the-slaves-my-mother-is-very/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [“The best musicians know this music isn't about "schools" at all. Like my father says, "There's only one school, the school of 'Can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/the-best-musicians-know-this-music-isn-t-about-schools-at-all-like-my/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Louis Armstrong is jazz. He represents what the music is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/louis-armstrong-is-jazz-he-represents-what-the-music-is-all-about/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [And that's the soulful thing about playing: you offer something to somebody. You don't know if they'll like it, but you offer it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/and-that-s-the-soulful-thing-about-playing-you-offer-something-to/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Ethics are more important than laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/ethics-are-more-important-than-laws/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I'm not a person who writes really abstract things with oblique references. I look at abstraction like I look at condiments. 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The bass plays first, then the drums come in later, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/today-you-go-into-make-a-modern-recording-with-all-this-technology/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [In the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra we play such a diversity of music, with 10 arrangers in the band, we don't really worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/in-the-jazz-at-lincoln-center-orchestra-we-play-such-a-diversity-of/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Commercialism that has absolutely no relationship to quality whatsoever, only quantitative assessment of a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/commercialism-that-has-absolutely-no-relationship-to-quality/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Instead of imposing your will on every situation...focus on including everyone else, and just that little adjustment of attitude gives you the space to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/instead-of-imposing-your-will-on-every-situation-focus-on-including/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [I'm not afraid of you being yourself. That's America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-m-not-afraid-of-you-being-yourself-that-s-america/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [“I noticed that religion gave some people a way to escape dealing with the world: “Things will be better when you die,” the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/i-noticed-that-religion-gave-some-people-a-way-to-escape-dealing-with/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) > [Trumpet players see each other, and it's like we're getting ready to square off or get into a fight or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/trumpet-players-see-each-other-and-it-s-like-we-re-getting-ready-to/) [Wynton Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) [Explore all 213 Wynton Marsalis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/) ## 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": "If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wynton Marsalis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not-trying/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not-trying/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/wynton-marsalis-1721_failure_if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not_374441.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying.” — Wynton Marsalis", "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": "Wynton Marsalis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wynton-marsalis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you're not making mistakes, you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not-trying/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wynton-marsalis/if-you-re-not-making-mistakes-you-re-not-trying/#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 } } ] } ```