Great Quotes
A great nation is like a great man: When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.
"A great nation is like a great man: When he makes a mistake, he realizes it."— Lao Tzu
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Meaning of this quote
Public greatness includes the willingness to recognize mistakes instead of defending them reflexively. In the surrounding passage, recognition leads to admission, correction, and learning from criticism.
Key takeaway:
Treat recognition of a mistake as the start of responsible leadership.
Origin of the quote
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 61, in Stephen Mitchell's modern English version.
Who actually said this?
VerifiedThe wording is present in the cited version. This is an excerpt from a longer passage about national conduct; credit the English renderer alongside the traditional attribution.
