The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey) / quote 116 of 203
Covering up a mistake is a second mistake
But not to acknowledge a mistake, not to correct it and learn from it, is a mistake of a different order. It usually puts a person on a self-deceiving, self-justifying path, often involving rationalization (rational lies) to self and to others. This second mistake, this cover-up, empowers the first, giving it disproportionate importance, and causes far deeper injury to self.