Man errs as long as he struggles.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Self-distrust is the cause of most of our failures.—In the assurance of strength there is strength; and they are the weakest, however strong, who have no faith in themselves or their powers.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
Disappointments are to the soul what a thunder-storm is to the air.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
No experiment is ever a complete failure. It can always be used as a bad example.
—Paul Dickson (b.1939) American Writer
Virtually nothing comes out right the first time. Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. The only time you don’t want to fail is the last time you try something … One fails forward toward success.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Only he who does nothing makes no mistakes.
—French Proverb
Man must strive, and striving he must err.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Genius is often only the power of making continuous efforts. The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it—so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it. How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience, would have achieved success. As the tide goes clear out, so it comes clear in. In business sometimes prospects may seem darkest when really they are on the turn. A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. 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.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
To avoid an occasion for our virtues is a worse degree of failure than to push forward pluckily and make a fall.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Failure is not sweet, but it need not be bitter.
—Unknown
Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good.
—Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German Poet, Playwright, Theater Personality
There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Life is not life unless you make mistakes.
—Joan Collins (b.1933) English Actress
There’s nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you.
—Woody Hayes (1913–87) American Sportsperson
What is to be got at to make the air sweet, the ground good under the feet, can only be got at by failure, trial, again and again and again failure.
—Sherwood Anderson (1876–1941) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Defeat should never be a source of discouragement, but rather a fresh stimulus.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
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 F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
It is only an error of judgment to make a mistake, but it argues an infirmity of character to adhere to it when discovered. The Chinese say, “The glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time you fall.”
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
He is foolish to blame the sea who shipwrecked twice.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
A man who has committed a mistake and doesn’t correct it is committing another mistake.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
It is defeat that turns bone to flint, and gristle to muscle, and makes men invincible, and formed those heroic natures that are now in ascendency in the world.—Do not then be afraid of defeat.—You are never so near to victory as when defeated in a good cause.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
I sometimes react to making a mistake as if I have betrayed myself. My fear of making a mistake seems to be based on the hidden assumption that I am potentially perfect and that if I can just be very careful I will not fall from heaven. But a ‘mistake’ is a declaration of the way I am, a jolt to the way I intend, a reminder I am not dealing with the facts. When I have listened to my mistakes I have grown.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterward carefully avoid.
—John Keats (1795–1821) English Poet
Laziness is a secret ingredient that goes into failure. But it’s only kept a secret from the person who fails.
—Robert Half
A good marksman may miss. – Thomas Fuller He that has much to do will do something wrong.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Losers have tons of variety. Champions take pride in just learning to hit the same old boring winners.
—Vic Braden (b.1929) American Sportsperson, Author
The psychotherapist learns little or nothing from his successes. They mainly confirm him in his mistakes, while his failures, on the other hand, are priceless experiences in that they not only open up the way to a deeper truth, but force him to change his views and methods.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Many a man never fails because he never tries.
—Norman MacEwen (1881–1953) British Military Leader
Whatever task you undertake, do it with all your heart and soul. Always be courteous, never be discouraged. Beware of him who promises something for nothing. Do not blame anybody for your mistakes and failures. Do not look for approval except the consciousness of doing your best.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Failures are divided into two classes—those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought.
—John Charles Salak
All men are liable to error, and most men are … by passion or interest, under temptation to it.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
What is defeat?—Nothing but education; nothing but the first step to something better.
—Wendell Phillips (1811–84) American Abolitionist, Lawyer, Orator
Most men fail, not through lack of education, but from lack of dogged determination, from lack of dauntless will.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
It is often the failure who is the pioneer in new lands, new undertakings, and new forms of expression.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re going to do now and do it. Today is your lucky day.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The man who has done his level best, and who is conscious that he has done his best, is a success, even though the world may write him down a failure.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
To lose is to learn.
—Unknown
A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Failure really isn’t terrible if you can say to yourself, hey, I know I’m gonna be successful at what I want to do some day. Failure doesn’t become a big hangup then because it’s only temporary. If failure is absolute, then it would be a disaster, but as long as it’s only temporary you can just go and achieve almost anything.
—Jerry Della Femina (b.1936) American Advertising Executive
Failure is more frequently from want of energy than want of capital.
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852) American Statesman, Lawyer
The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.
—Edward John Phelps (1822–1900) American Lawyer, Diplomat
It ain’t no disgrace for a man to fall, but to lie there and grunt is.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
The action of a fool cannot serve as a precedent.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
When a man is pushed, tormented, defeated, he has a chance to learn something; he has been put on his wits … he has gained facts, learned his ignorance, is cured of the insanity of conceit, has got moderation and real skill.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Do not be afraid of mistakes, providing you do not make the same one twice.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
There is only one real failure possible; and that is, not to be true to the best one knows.
—Frederic William Farrar (1831–1903) English Clergyman, Writer
We learn courageous action by going forward whenever fear urges us back. A little boy was asked how he learned to skate. “By getting up every time I fell down,” he answered.
—David Seabury (1885–1960) American Psychologist
And what if I did run my ship aground; oh, still it was splendid to sail it.
—Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) Norwegian Playwright