Failure Quotes | Beyond Motive

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Failure Quotes

"Failure is a word unknown to me."

"Failure is a word unknown to me."

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistani Politician

92

"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

92

"Not failure, but low aim, is crime."

"Not failure, but low aim, is crime."

James Russell Lowell, American Poet

90

"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

85

"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

58

"With failure, you just try again."

"With failure, you just try again."

Judd Nelson, American Actor

54

"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

52

"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

49

"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

48

"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

47

"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

47

"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

47

"Ambition is the last refuge of the failure."

"Ambition is the last refuge of the failure."

Oscar Wilde, Irish Dramatist

Failure, Ambition

46

"Show me a good and gracious loser and I'll show you a failure."

"Show me a good and gracious loser and I'll show you a failure."

Knute Rockne, American Coach

45

"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

44

"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

43

"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

42

"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

42

"Not failure, but low aim is sin."

"Not failure, but low aim is sin."

Benjamin E. Mays, American Educator

42

"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

42

"Well, I think first of all there was a failure to have real, clear information at our disposal. There was a real lack of situational awareness. We didn't have the capabilities on the ground to give us real-time, accurate assessments of the physical condition of the city."

"Well, I think first of all there was a failure to have real, clear information at our disposal. There was a real lack of situational awareness. We didn't have the capabilities on the ground to give us real-time, accurate assessments of the physical condition of the city."

Michael Chertoff, American Civil Servant

Failure, Awareness, First, Information

41

"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

41

"There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose."

"There is no failure except in no longer trying. There is no defeat except from within, no really insurmountable barrier save our own inherent weakness of purpose."

Kin Hubbard, American Journalist

Failure, Purpose, Defeat, Trying

41

"And I went to New York and died; for 10 years I walked those pavements. I can't think of New York without feeling uncomfortable and feeling like a failure."

"And I went to New York and died; for 10 years I walked those pavements. I can't think of New York without feeling uncomfortable and feeling like a failure."

Harvey Korman, American Actor

Failure, Feeling, Years

41

"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

40

"Failure is always an option."

"Failure is always an option."

Adam Savage, American Entertainer

40

"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

40

"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

40

"The only failure is not to try."

"The only failure is not to try."

George Clooney, American Actor

40

"You must not demand the failure of your peers, because the more good things that are around in film, in television, in theater - why the better it is for all of us."

"You must not demand the failure of your peers, because the more good things that are around in film, in television, in theater - why the better it is for all of us."

Jerome Lawrence, American Playwright

Failure, Film, Television, Theater

39

"Failure is not an option. Everyone has to succeed."

"Failure is not an option. Everyone has to succeed."

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian Actor

Failure, Succeed

39

"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

39

"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

38

"Failure has gone to his head."

"Failure has gone to his head."

Wilson Mizner, American Dramatist

37

"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

37

"The only risk of failure is promotion."

"The only risk of failure is promotion."

Scott Adams, American Cartoonist

Failure, Promotion, Risk

37

"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

37

"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

36

"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

36

"The great question is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure."

"The great question is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure."

Laurence J. Peter, Canadian Writer

Failure, Content, Question

36

"Philanthropic colonization is a failure. National colonization will succeed."

"Philanthropic colonization is a failure. National colonization will succeed."

Theodor Herzl, Hungarian Journalist

Failure, Succeed, Will

35

"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

35

"In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option."

"In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option."

Zbigniew Brzezinski, American Politician

Failure, Iraq, Succeed

35

"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street."

"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street."

Zig Ziglar, American Author

35

"The moral turpitude of the boys of today appears to center in their failure to concentrate on any particular objective long enough to obtain their maximum results."

"The moral turpitude of the boys of today appears to center in their failure to concentrate on any particular objective long enough to obtain their maximum results."

Major Taylor, American Athlete

Failure, Boys, Results, Today

34

"Failure is more frequently from want of energy than want of capital."

"Failure is more frequently from want of energy than want of capital."

Daniel Webster, American Statesman

Failure, Energy, Want

34

"The reason was the failure of both Japan and China to understand each other and the inability of America and the European powers to sympathize, without prejudice, with the peoples of East Asia."

"The reason was the failure of both Japan and China to understand each other and the inability of America and the European powers to sympathize, without prejudice, with the peoples of East Asia."

Hideki Tojo, Japanese Soldier

Failure, America, Prejudice, Reason

34

"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

33

"You accept failure as a possible outcome of some of the experiments. If you don't get failures, you're not pushing hard enough on the objectives."

"You accept failure as a possible outcome of some of the experiments. If you don't get failures, you're not pushing hard enough on the objectives."

John Poindexter, American Public Servant

Failure, Objectives

33

"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

33

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