“Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero
Sometimes a few words are enough to shift the way we see the day.
Cicero wasn’t known for being subtle—and today’s quote is no exception. Mistakes? Normal. Expected, even. But continuing to make the same mistake over and over while convincing yourself that this time it’ll work? That’s when it crosses over from human error into stubborn delusion.
The truth is, we’ve all been that idiot at least once. We’ve all tried to fix a mistake with the same flawed logic that created it. Whether it’s in relationships, careers, or attempts to “fix” a broken appliance with duct tape and wishful thinking, we persist.
But wisdom isn’t in the perfection. It’s in recognizing the pattern. It’s in saying, “This path isn’t working. Time to pivot.” And maybe—just maybe—that’s the real intelligence Cicero was getting at. Not in avoiding mistakes, but in refusing to wear them like a badge of honor.
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