In school we learn that mistakes are bad… but that’s the exact opposite of how we’re wired to learn. This quote flips the entire education script on its head.
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Meaning
The core message is a direct challenge: our formal education system often punishes the very process—trial and error—that is fundamental to human learning and growth.
Explanation
Look, I’ve seen this play out for years with entrepreneurs and in corporate teams. The system, with its focus on standardized tests and right answers, creates a fear-based relationship with failure. But in the real world? That’s where all the magic happens. Every single breakthrough, every innovation, every “aha” moment is almost always preceded by a series of mistakes. The system teaches you to avoid risk. True learning requires you to embrace it, to see a mistake not as a final verdict but as data. It’s feedback. It’s the universe telling you “try a different way.” And that reframe changes everything.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Education (260) |
| Topics | failure (52), growth (413), learning (190) |
| Literary Style | clear (348), didactic (370) |
| Emotion / Mood | reflective (382), truthful (22) |
| Overall Quote Score | 77 (179) |
Origin & Factcheck
This is straight from Robert Kiyosaki’s 1997 personal finance classic, Rich Dad Poor Dad. It’s a central theme throughout the book, contrasting the mindset of his “Poor Dad” (a highly educated academic) with his “Rich Dad” (a street-smart entrepreneur). You’ll sometimes see this sentiment attributed to others in the self-development space, but its most famous and direct formulation is absolutely Kiyosaki’s.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Robert T Kiyosaki (98) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Rich Dad Poor Dad (43) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Born in Hilo, Hawaii, Robert T. Kiyosaki graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and served as a Marine Corps helicopter gunship pilot in Vietnam. After stints at Xerox and entrepreneurial ventures, he turned to financial education, co-authoring Rich Dad Poor Dad in 1997 and launching the Rich Dad brand. He invests in real estate and commodities and hosts the Rich Dad Radio Show. The Robert T. Kiyosaki book list spans personal finance classics like Cashflow Quadrant and Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing, along with educational games and seminars.
| Official Website | Facebook | X| Instagram | YouTube
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet, if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 1997; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 978-1612680194; Last edition: 2022 Revised Edition, Number of pages: 336 |
| Where is it? | Chapter 7: Overcoming Obstacles, Approximate page from 2022 edition: 212 |