Failure Quotes | Beyond Motive 3/5

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Failure Quotes

"One's only rival is one's own potentialities. One's only failure is failing to live up to one's own possibilities. In this sense, every man can be a king, and must therefore be treated like a king."

"One's only rival is one's own potentialities. One's only failure is failing to live up to one's own possibilities. In this sense, every man can be a king, and must therefore be treated like a king."

Abraham Maslow, American Psychologist

Failure, Man, Possibilities, Sense

37

"To begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment."

"To begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment."

James Allen, British Author

Failure, Purpose

37

"I simply don't believe in failure. In itself, it doesn't exist. We create it. We make ourselves fail."

"I simply don't believe in failure. In itself, it doesn't exist. We create it. We make ourselves fail."

Alice Foote MacDougall, American Restaurateur

37

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail."

"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail."

Mike Murdock, American Clergyman

36

"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."

"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being."

Jerry Falwell, American Clergyman

Failure, Christian, Being

36

"Humanitarian missions are little different from any other public enterprise, diplomacy included, which is susceptible of misinterpretation by the public, hence ultimately of failure."

"Humanitarian missions are little different from any other public enterprise, diplomacy included, which is susceptible of misinterpretation by the public, hence ultimately of failure."

Alvin Adams, American Businessman

Failure, Diplomacy, Public

36

"This attempt to isolate cell constituents might have been a failure if they had been destroyed by the relative brutality of the technique employed. But this did not happen."

"This attempt to isolate cell constituents might have been a failure if they had been destroyed by the relative brutality of the technique employed. But this did not happen."

Albert Claude, Belgian Scientist

36

"I wasn't afraid to fail. Something good always comes out of failure."

"I wasn't afraid to fail. Something good always comes out of failure."

Anne Baxter, American Actress

36

"The very reasons sometimes that you make a film are the reasons for its failure."

"The very reasons sometimes that you make a film are the reasons for its failure."

Sydney Pollack, American Director

36

"Fear of failure prevents you from realising your dreams of success."

"Fear of failure prevents you from realising your dreams of success."

Habeeb Akande, British Historian

Failure, Fear, Dream, Success

36

"Nothing fails like failure."

"Nothing fails like failure."

Margaret Drabble, English Novelist

Failure, Nothing

36

"I've tried to handle winning well, so that maybe we'll win again, but I've also tried to handle failure well. If those serve as good examples for teachers and kids, then I hope that would be a contribution I have made to sport. Not just basketball, but to sport."

"I've tried to handle winning well, so that maybe we'll win again, but I've also tried to handle failure well. If those serve as good examples for teachers and kids, then I hope that would be a contribution I have made to sport. Not just basketball, but to sport."

Mike Krzyzewski, American Coach

Failure, Hope, Winning, Basketball

36

"I knew that there were several, among African-American leaders, who had been put out by me because of my failure or reluctance to endorse Sen. Kerry."

"I knew that there were several, among African-American leaders, who had been put out by me because of my failure or reluctance to endorse Sen. Kerry."

Rodney Alexander, American Politician

Failure, African, Leaders

36

"Most people fail not necessarily because who they are, but whom they are with."

"Most people fail not necessarily because who they are, but whom they are with."

Jeffrey Fry, American Author

Failure, Influence, Environment, Learning

36

"I failed to make the chess team because of my height."

"I failed to make the chess team because of my height."

Woody Allen, American Director

35

"I think some parents now look at a youngster failing as the final thing. It's a process, and failure is part of the process. I would like it if the teacher and the parents would connect more. I think that used to be, but we're losing a little bit of that right now."

"I think some parents now look at a youngster failing as the final thing. It's a process, and failure is part of the process. I would like it if the teacher and the parents would connect more. I think that used to be, but we're losing a little bit of that right now."

Mike Krzyzewski, American Coach

Failure, Losing, Now, Parents

35

"The failure of the United Nations - My failure is maybe, in retrospective, that I was not enough aggressive with the members of the Security Council."

"The failure of the United Nations - My failure is maybe, in retrospective, that I was not enough aggressive with the members of the Security Council."

Boutros Boutros Ghali, Egyptian Public Servant

Failure, Nations, Security, United

35

"Other countries, such as Israel, successfully employ behavior detection techniques at their airports, but the bloated, ineffective bureaucracy of TSA has produced another security failure for U.S. transportation systems."

"Other countries, such as Israel, successfully employ behavior detection techniques at their airports, but the bloated, ineffective bureaucracy of TSA has produced another security failure for U.S. transportation systems."

John Mica, American Politician

Failure, Behavior, Bureaucracy, Countries

34

"You can't have any successes unless you can accept failure."

"You can't have any successes unless you can accept failure."

George Cukor, American Producer

34

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."

Denis Waitley, American Writer

Failure, Being, Defeat, Delay

34

"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

34

"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

34

"When I got Jacob's Latter, I was nervous because I felt I wasn't allowed to fail. I felt that they were waiting for one little failure and that would prove them right and I'd be,"out of there.""

"When I got Jacob's Latter, I was nervous because I felt I wasn't allowed to fail. I felt that they were waiting for one little failure and that would prove them right and I'd be,"out of there.""

Elizabeth Pena, American Actress

Failure, Right, Waiting

33

"I failed first grade, which is my biggest problem. You always feel like a failure, like you're stupid."

"I failed first grade, which is my biggest problem. You always feel like a failure, like you're stupid."

Amy Sedaris, American Actress

33

"The young think that failure is the Siberian end of the line, banishment from all the living, and tend to do what I then did - which was to hide."

"The young think that failure is the Siberian end of the line, banishment from all the living, and tend to do what I then did - which was to hide."

James A. Baldwin, American Author

Failure, End, Living

33

"Being human means you will make mistakes. And you will make mistakes, because failure is God's way of moving you in another direction."

"Being human means you will make mistakes. And you will make mistakes, because failure is God's way of moving you in another direction."

Oprah Winfrey, American Entertainer

Failure, Humanity, Learning, Faith

33

"Artistic symbols and myths speak out of the primordial, preconscious realm of the mind which is powerful and chaotic. Both symbol and myth are ways of bringing order and form into this chaos."

"Artistic symbols and myths speak out of the primordial, preconscious realm of the mind which is powerful and chaotic. Both symbol and myth are ways of bringing order and form into this chaos."

Rollo May, American Psychologist

Failure, Myth, Symbol, Consciousness, Mind

33

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

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

Zig Ziglar, American Author

32

"Failure is impossible."

"Failure is impossible."

Susan B. Anthony, American Activist

32

"When I was about 15... I made my first attempt as a leading lady, and was, of course, a complete failure."

"When I was about 15... I made my first attempt as a leading lady, and was, of course, a complete failure."

Maude Adams, American Actress

Failure, First, Lady, Leading

32

"Failure in the theater is more dramatic and uglier than any other form of writing. It costs so much, you feel so guilty."

"Failure in the theater is more dramatic and uglier than any other form of writing. It costs so much, you feel so guilty."

Lillian Hellman, American Dramatist

Failure, Theater, Writing

32

"The failure of the Russian Socialist Republic will be the defeat of the proletariat of the whole world."

"The failure of the Russian Socialist Republic will be the defeat of the proletariat of the whole world."

Karl Liebknecht, German Politician

Failure, Defeat, Will, World

32

"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

32

"Indecision and delays are the parents of failure."

"Indecision and delays are the parents of failure."

George Canning, English Statesman

Failure, Indecision, Parents

31

"My biggest failure is I have too many to talk about."

"My biggest failure is I have too many to talk about."

Dean Kamen, American Inventor

31

"We need to teach the highly educated man that it is not a disgrace to fail and that he must analyze every failure to find its cause. He must learn how to fail intelligently, for failing is one of the greatest arts in the world."

"We need to teach the highly educated man that it is not a disgrace to fail and that he must analyze every failure to find its cause. He must learn how to fail intelligently, for failing is one of the greatest arts in the world."

Charles Kettering, American Inventor

Failure, Cause, Disgrace, Man

31

"There is an increasingly pervasive sense not only of failure, but of futility. The legislative process has become a cruel shell game and the service system has become a bureaucratic maze, inefficient, incomprehensible, and inaccessible."

"There is an increasingly pervasive sense not only of failure, but of futility. The legislative process has become a cruel shell game and the service system has become a bureaucratic maze, inefficient, incomprehensible, and inaccessible."

Elliot Richardson, American Lawyer

Failure, Sense, Service

31

"He will know from and early age that failure is not disgrace. It's just a pitch that you missed, and you'd better get ready for the next one. The next one might be the shot heard round the world. My son and I are Americans, we prepare for glory by failing until we don't."

"He will know from and early age that failure is not disgrace. It's just a pitch that you missed, and you'd better get ready for the next one. The next one might be the shot heard round the world. My son and I are Americans, we prepare for glory by failing until we don't."

Craig Ferguson, Scottish Comedian

Failure, Learning, Sports, Success

31

"But if you look at WorldCom, which is the biggest failure to date, they grew dramatically, they were buying companies that were bigger than they were and they were doing it off inflated stock."

"But if you look at WorldCom, which is the biggest failure to date, they grew dramatically, they were buying companies that were bigger than they were and they were doing it off inflated stock."

Don Nickles, American Politician

Failure, Buying

31

"The Soviet Union did not achieve victory over the West, so was my information inadequate to help them to victory, or did it play no particular role in their failure to achieve victory?"

"The Soviet Union did not achieve victory over the West, so was my information inadequate to help them to victory, or did it play no particular role in their failure to achieve victory?"

Aldrich Ames, American Criminal

Failure, Victory, Help, Information

30

"Failure is good. It's fertilizer. Everything I've learned about coaching, I've learned from making mistakes."

"Failure is good. It's fertilizer. Everything I've learned about coaching, I've learned from making mistakes."

Rick Pitino, American Athlete

Failure, Coaching, Mistakes

30

"If we do not get No Child Left Behind right for Limited English Proficient students, the law will be a failure for most schools in the 15th Congressional District, and for many across the nation."

"If we do not get No Child Left Behind right for Limited English Proficient students, the law will be a failure for most schools in the 15th Congressional District, and for many across the nation."

Ruben Hinojosa, American Politician

Failure, English, Law, Nation

30

"Failure opens the door to the most powerful lessons and discoveries " but it does so only if you have the courage to accept reality and look failure in the eye."

"Failure opens the door to the most powerful lessons and discoveries " but it does so only if you have the courage to accept reality and look failure in the eye."

Dragos Bratasanu, Romanian Scientist

Failure, Courage, Learning, Discovery

30

"So, you've failed many times at many things. That's okay! Learn, grow, and move forward. With the right attitude and mindset, you can learn a lot from failure. Pay attention and keep on striving! You've got this!"

"So, you've failed many times at many things. That's okay! Learn, grow, and move forward. With the right attitude and mindset, you can learn a lot from failure. Pay attention and keep on striving! You've got this!"

Stephanie Lahart, American Author

Failure, Growth, Persistence, Learning

30

"Rather than viewing a brief relapse back to inactivity as a failure, treat it as a challenge and try to get back on track as soon as possible."

"Rather than viewing a brief relapse back to inactivity as a failure, treat it as a challenge and try to get back on track as soon as possible."

Jimmy Connors, American Athlete

Failure, Challenge

30

"In a sense it might even be said that our failure is to form habits: for, after all, habit is relative to a stereotyped world, and meantime it is only the roughness of the eye that makes two persons, things, situations, seem alike."

"In a sense it might even be said that our failure is to form habits: for, after all, habit is relative to a stereotyped world, and meantime it is only the roughness of the eye that makes two persons, things, situations, seem alike."

Walter Pater, English Critic

Failure, Habit, Eye, Sense

30

"A man may fall many times, but he won't be a failure until he says that someone pushed him."

"A man may fall many times, but he won't be a failure until he says that someone pushed him."

Elmer G. Letterman, American Salesman

Failure, Man, May

29

"If a man has so much heat he burns your skin when he touches you, he's the devil. Run away"

"If a man has so much heat he burns your skin when he touches you, he's the devil. Run away"

Sarah Addison Allen, American Novelist

Failure, Loss, Lesson, Growth, Learning

29

"Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort nor the failure tires. The waste remains, the waste remains and kills."

"Slowly the poison the whole blood stream fills. It is not the effort nor the failure tires. The waste remains, the waste remains and kills."

William Empson, English Poet

Failure, Blood, Effort, Poison

28

"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

28

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