---
title: "Wisdom is the booby prize given when you've been unwise. — Piet Hein Quote #14 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "Wisdom is the booby prize given when you've been unwise. — a quote by Piet Hein."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # Wisdom is the booby prize given when you've been unwise.

[Piet Hein](https://quotesby.net/Piet-Hein)\#14

Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

[Experience](https://quotesby.net/topics/experience/)[Learning](https://quotesby.net/topics/learning/)[Mistakes](https://quotesby.net/topics/mistakes/)[Wisdom](https://quotesby.net/topics/wisdom/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Wisdom is often recognized only after a mistake is made.In plain termsYou learn wisdom after you have been unwise.What can you take from it?Experience from failure is the true source of wisdom.

### Where it applies

- learning from failure
- post decision analysis
- self improvement

### Putting it to work

- learn from errors
- value experience

### Questions to consider

- What mistakes taught you the most?
- Can you gain wisdom without error?

### Another view

It implies wisdom is impossible before making mistakes.

## More from Piet Hein

1. > The way to grow grand is not: to demand. In life's every field you are what you yield.

[Permalink to quote \#13](https://quotesby.net/Piet-Hein/13/ "Permalink to quote 13")
2. > Freedom means you're free to do just whatever pleases you; --if, of course that is to say, what you please is what you may.

[Permalink to quote \#15](https://quotesby.net/Piet-Hein/15/ "Permalink to quote 15")
3. > The road to wisdom? - Well, it's plain and simple to express: Err and err and err again but less and less and less.

[Permalink to quote \#12](https://quotesby.net/Piet-Hein/12/ "Permalink to quote 12")

## Related quotes

1. > It's best that pilots learn in other people's planes.

[Rolim Amaro](https://quotesby.net/Rolim-Amaro)[Rolim Amaro quote \#11](https://quotesby.net/Rolim-Amaro/11/ "Permalink to quote 11")
2. > You have to learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself.

[Hyman G. Rickover](https://quotesby.net/Hyman-G.-Rickover)[Hyman G. Rickover quote \#43](https://quotesby.net/Hyman-G.-Rickover/43/ "Permalink to quote 43")
3. > Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom.

[Terry Pratchett](https://quotesby.net/Terry-Pratchett)[Terry Pratchett quote \#89](https://quotesby.net/Terry-Pratchett/89/ "Permalink to quote 89")

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