Failure Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Failure Quotes

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."

Henry Ford, American Businessman

Failure, Time, Opportunity

45

"I - and I still consider myself, I'm sorry to tell you, a Marxist and a Communist, but I couldn't help noticing how all the best Marxist analyses are always analyses of a failure."

"I - and I still consider myself, I'm sorry to tell you, a Marxist and a Communist, but I couldn't help noticing how all the best Marxist analyses are always analyses of a failure."

Slavoj Zizek, Slovenian Philosopher

39

"Failure is a word unknown to me."

"Failure is a word unknown to me."

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistani Politician

30

"Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes."

"Failure is instructive. The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes."

John Dewey, American Philosopher

22

"Ambition is the last refuge of the failure."

"Ambition is the last refuge of the failure."

Oscar Wilde, Irish Dramatist

Failure, Ambition

19

"If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure."

"If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure."

Dan Quayle, American Vice President

Failure, Risk, Succeed

19

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure."

"Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure."

George Edward Woodberry, American Critic

Failure, Defeat

18

"You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give."

"You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give."

E. O. Wilson, American Scientist

Failure, Goal, Needs, Right

18

"The failure of academic feminists to recognize difference as a crucial strength is a failure to reach beyond the first patriarchal lesson. In our world, divide and conquer must become define and empower."

"The failure of academic feminists to recognize difference as a crucial strength is a failure to reach beyond the first patriarchal lesson. In our world, divide and conquer must become define and empower."

Audre Lorde, American Poet

Failure, Strength, Difference, First

17

"Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing."

"Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing."

H. Stanley Judd, American Author

Failure, Challenge, Energy, Trying

17

"Is anarchism possible? The failure of attempts to attain freedom does not mean the cause is lost."

"Is anarchism possible? The failure of attempts to attain freedom does not mean the cause is lost."

Johann Most, German Revolutionary

Failure, Cause, Freedom

16

"My failures have been errors in judgment, not of intent."

"My failures have been errors in judgment, not of intent."

Ulysses S. Grant, American President

Failure, Errors, Judgment

16

"The failure of The Cable Guy impacted my career. I had to start writing and acting again."

"The failure of The Cable Guy impacted my career. I had to start writing and acting again."

Ben Stiller, American Comedian

Failure, Acting, Career, Writing

15

"It's probably foolish to expect relationships to go on forever and to say that because something only lasts 10 years, it's a failure."

"It's probably foolish to expect relationships to go on forever and to say that because something only lasts 10 years, it's a failure."

James Taylor, American Musician

Failure, Relationships, Years

15

"With failure, you just try again."

"With failure, you just try again."

Judd Nelson, American Actor

15

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking."

"Yes, risk taking is inherently failure-prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking."

Jim McMahon, American Athlete

15

"My only failure was the restaurant in Myrtle Beach. I kept it open for four years. It was in a tourist town, it was only busy four and half, five months of the year. But the bills kept coming all year."

"My only failure was the restaurant in Myrtle Beach. I kept it open for four years. It was in a tourist town, it was only busy four and half, five months of the year. But the bills kept coming all year."

Mickey Gilley, American Musician

Failure, Beach, Months, Open

15

"Failure is part of life, but surrender is the end of life."

"Failure is part of life, but surrender is the end of life."

Debasish Mridha, American Author

Failure, Life, Surrender, Perseverance

15

"Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, I have failed three times, and what happens when he says, I am a failure."

"Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, I have failed three times, and what happens when he says, I am a failure."

S. I. Hayakawa, American Politician

Failure, Difference, Man

15

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."

"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."

Michael Jordan, American Athlete

Failure, Trying

15

"He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being."

"He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being."

Paul Tillich, German Theologian

14

"I never see failure as failure, but only as the game I must play and win."

"I never see failure as failure, but only as the game I must play and win."

Tom Hopkins, American Businessman

14

"Students rarely disappoint teachers who assure them in advance that they are doomed to failure."

"Students rarely disappoint teachers who assure them in advance that they are doomed to failure."

Sidney Hook, American Philosopher

Failure, Students, Teachers

14

"Is the proposed operation likely to succeed? What might the consequences of failure? Is it in the realm of practicability in terms of material and supplies?"

"Is the proposed operation likely to succeed? What might the consequences of failure? Is it in the realm of practicability in terms of material and supplies?"

Chester W. Nimitz, American Soldier

Failure, Consequences, Succeed

14

"Nothing is more humiliating than to see idiots succeed in enterprises we have failed in."

"Nothing is more humiliating than to see idiots succeed in enterprises we have failed in."

Gustave Flaubert, French Novelist

Failure, Idiots, Nothing, Succeed

14

"If you're 40 years old and you've never had a failure, you've been deprived."

"If you're 40 years old and you've never had a failure, you've been deprived."

Gloria Swanson, American Actress

Failure, Old, Years

13

"All human actions are equivalent and all are on principle doomed to failure."

"All human actions are equivalent and all are on principle doomed to failure."

Jean-Paul Sartre, French Philosopher

Failure, Actions

13

"But whatever my failure, I have this thing to remember - that I was a pioneer in my profession, just as my grandfathers were in theirs, in that I was the first man in this section to earn his living as a writer."

"But whatever my failure, I have this thing to remember - that I was a pioneer in my profession, just as my grandfathers were in theirs, in that I was the first man in this section to earn his living as a writer."

Robert E. Howard, American Writer

Failure, First, Living, Man

13

"By virtually any measure, the record of the Republican Majority is an appalling failure."

"By virtually any measure, the record of the Republican Majority is an appalling failure."

Sheila Jackson Lee, American Politician

Failure, Majority, Measure, Republican

13

"Not failure, but low aim is sin."

"Not failure, but low aim is sin."

Benjamin E. Mays, American Educator

13

"I don't believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process."

"I don't believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process."

Oprah Winfrey, American Entertainer

13

"The failure of Christianity in the areas west from Sicily was even greater, and was increased by the spread of Arab outlooks and influence to that area, and especially to Spain."

"The failure of Christianity in the areas west from Sicily was even greater, and was increased by the spread of Arab outlooks and influence to that area, and especially to Spain."

Carroll Quigley, American Writer

Failure, Christianity, Influence, Spain

13

"You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don't win, at least you can be satisfied that you've tried. If you don't accept failure as a possibility, you don't set high goals, you don't branch out, you don't try - you don't take the risk."

"You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don't win, at least you can be satisfied that you've tried. If you don't accept failure as a possibility, you don't set high goals, you don't branch out, you don't try - you don't take the risk."

Rosalynn Carter, American First Lady

Failure, Goals, Possibility, Risk

12

"Failure is always an option."

"Failure is always an option."

Adam Savage, American Entertainer

12

"Don't you see? You and he might never cross paths again. Of course, a chance meeting could occur, and I hope it happens. I really do, for your sake. But realistically speaking, you have to see there's a huge possibility you'll never be able to meet him again. And even if you do meet, he might already be married to somebody else. He might have two kids. Isn't that so? And in that case, you may have to live the rest of your life alone, never being joined with the one person you love in all the world. Don't you find that scary?"

"Don't you see? You and he might never cross paths again. Of course, a chance meeting could occur, and I hope it happens. I really do, for your sake. But realistically speaking, you have to see there's a huge possibility you'll never be able to meet him again. And even if you do meet, he might already be married to somebody else. He might have two kids. Isn't that so? And in that case, you may have to live the rest of your life alone, never being joined with the one person you love in all the world. Don't you find that scary?"

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

Failure, Lesson, Growth, Resilience

12

"We can't have a failure in Iraq, but we also can't be there for the next 10 years because if we are, it's going to become, I think, a failure in and of itself."

"We can't have a failure in Iraq, but we also can't be there for the next 10 years because if we are, it's going to become, I think, a failure in and of itself."

Dennis Ross, American Diplomat

Failure, Iraq, Years

12

"I met Ashley two weeks before I married him. It was a joke-the most ridiculous thing I've ever done. Once I was married, I didn't want to be a failure, so I stuck it out for six months, which was about six months too long."

"I met Ashley two weeks before I married him. It was a joke-the most ridiculous thing I've ever done. Once I was married, I didn't want to be a failure, so I stuck it out for six months, which was about six months too long."

Shannen Doherty, American Actress

Failure, Months, Want

12

"There's a difference between a failure and a fiasco... a fiasco is a disaster of mythic proportions."

"There's a difference between a failure and a fiasco... a fiasco is a disaster of mythic proportions."

Orlando Bloom, English Actor

Failure, Difference, Disaster

12

"It is often the failure who is the pioneer in new lands, new undertakings, and new forms of expression."

"It is often the failure who is the pioneer in new lands, new undertakings, and new forms of expression."

Eric Hoffer, American Writer

Failure, Expression

12

"Most of us spend the first six days of each week sowing wild oats; then we go to church on Sunday and pray for a crop failure."

"Most of us spend the first six days of each week sowing wild oats; then we go to church on Sunday and pray for a crop failure."

Fred Allen, American Comedian

Failure, Church, First

11

"It's a failure of national vision when you regard children as weapons, and talents as materials you can mine, assay, and fabricate for profit and defense."

"It's a failure of national vision when you regard children as weapons, and talents as materials you can mine, assay, and fabricate for profit and defense."

John Hersey, American Writer

Failure, Vision, Children, Defense

11

"Failure doesn't mean you are a failure it just means you haven't succeeded yet."

"Failure doesn't mean you are a failure it just means you haven't succeeded yet."

Robert H. Schuller, American Clergyman

11

"Remember that failure is an event, not a person."

"Remember that failure is an event, not a person."

Zig Ziglar, American Author

11

"Failure doesn't kill you... it increases your desire to make something happen."

"Failure doesn't kill you... it increases your desire to make something happen."

Kevin Costner, American Actor

Failure, Desire

11

"A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying."

"A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying."

John Burroughs, American Author

Failure, Blame, Man, Trying

11

"Failure results from lack of focus and half trust. Success results from complete devotion and utmost trust."

"Failure results from lack of focus and half trust. Success results from complete devotion and utmost trust."

Debasish Mridha, American Author

Failure, Focus, Success, Devotion

11

"A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it."

"A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it."

Alexandre Dumas, French Dramatist

Failure, Being, Enemies, First

11

"Life is full of screwups," he said, chucking another paper at the split-level before taking the corner. "You're supposed to fail sometimes. It's a required part of the human existence."

"Life is full of screwups," he said, chucking another paper at the split-level before taking the corner. "You're supposed to fail sometimes. It's a required part of the human existence."

Sarah Dessen, American Author

Failure, Life, Growth, Mistake

11

"Failure is authentic, and because it's authentic, it's real and genuine, and because of that, it's a pure state of being."

"Failure is authentic, and because it's authentic, it's real and genuine, and because of that, it's a pure state of being."

Doug Coupland, Canadian Author

Failure, Being, State

11

"Failure has gone to his head."

"Failure has gone to his head."

Wilson Mizner, American Dramatist

10

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