5 Inspirational Quotes That Will Turn Your Failures Into A Source Of Inspiration Today

9 minutes

read

Personal failure can be savage and merciless. It lays bare all of your weaknesses at once.

It’s life’s brutally honest approach to telling you,

“Here you have it. You can thank me later.”

The intensity and impact depend on how invested you personally were in whatever it is in your life that just failed.

Failure always goes hand in hand with an awful chemical cocktail of negative emotions like shame, anger, guilt, and apathy. Especially when catastrophic failure happens, no matter how good you think you are at handling stressful moments, it will bring you down to your knees.

The question is only for how long.

It took me two years to realize this. I couldn’t let go of the shame of having lost my company and having failed so many people.

Shame, apathy, and guilt are the three most destructive emotions one can have.

As David R. Hawkins states in his book Power vs. Force, shame is characterized by feelings of humiliation and worthlessness.

It is also described as one of impotence and incapacity, where an individual may feel deeply flawed and inadequate. Hawkins suggests that people experiencing shame often internalize their negative experiences and may feel disconnected from others and from life itself.

In short, we don’t want to stay there.

Ironically, in order to transmute and evolve, we must lean into it, embrace it, and then let go consciously.

That is how greatness in human beings is forged. Especially young men need to welcome failure, since it is the pathway to excellence.

Here are 5 quotes about failure that have the potential to alleviate your suffering, help you let go of the negativity as fast as possible and bring you back to the road of growth and success:

Quote 1: “Success Is Not Final, Failure Is Not Fatal: It Is The Courage To Continue That”Counts”—Winston Churchill

“In a vast desert, there lived a swift falcon, renowned for being the fastest and most successful hunter in the region. Each spring, she soared high and hunted with ease, her success admired by all. However, when the harsh winter winds came, they brought great challenges. The falcon struggled to fly, and her hunting prowess diminished.

Other birds mocked her, saying her time of glory was over. But the falcon did not despair. She understood that her success in the spring wasn’t permanent, and her struggles in the winter weren’t the end. Every day, she faced the biting winds with resilience, learning to navigate through the harsh conditions.

When spring returned, the falcon was not only back to her successful hunts but had also become wiser and stronger, able to fly skillfully even in the gentlest breeze or the fiercest storm. Her courage to persist through the winter’s trials was what truly defined her.”

When I lost everything during the pandemic, I thought my life was over. Then I got hooked on benzodiazepines and alcohol to not feel and when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did.

Never underestimate how things can go sideways, because usually when it rains, it pours.

But also remind yourself that, as bad as it may seem, you can always choose to show up again with a different attitude, challenge destiny, and get your sh*t together.

Get up, have courage, and know that taking another shot is all you need to do today. Just worry about today.

Quote 2: “I have not failed. I’ve Just Found 10,000 Ways That Won’t Work” (Thomas A. Edison)

“Once, in a dense forest, there lived a curious fox. He spent every night admiring the stars and was in awe of their beauty. He yearned to capture one to light up his dark den. Night after night, he tried different ways to reach them. He climbed the tallest trees, leaped from the highest rocks, and even tried to build towers of stones. Each attempt ended in vain, but the fox did not lose heart.

Other animals in the forest mocked the fox. “Why do you keep trying?” they asked. “You will never reach the stars.” But the fox replied, “With each leap, I learn. I have not failed; I am just discovering the ways that do not lead me to the stars.”

Though he never reached a star, the fox learned much about the forest and its secrets. His jumps became higher, his senses sharper, and his mind wiser. He realized the stars he sought were not in the sky but in the knowledge and skills he gained with each attempt.”

I love this metaphor because it beautifully illustrates one thing:

I would rather be a failed entrepreneur than one who never even tried.

It is clear that by navigating the turbulent waters, you become a better sailor on the journey of your life. It really isn’t so much about the outcome as about the process and the person you become along the way.

No one can take that away from you. Ever.

Endurance and adversity are the sources of resilience, self-assurance, and inner peace.

Those are all traits you cannot learn without taking risks and putting yourself on the line.

Now that you have remembered that, you will never again fail.

Quote 3: “Failure Is Only The Opportunity To Begin Again, This Time More Intelligently”?—?Henry Ford

“In a dense forest, there was a shimmering pond that reflected the moon’s silvery light. A magpie, known for her curiosity and intelligence, saw this reflection and believed it to be a bright, glowing stone. She decided to collect it for her nest?—?a treasure unlike any other.

Night after night, the magpie tried to grasp the moon’s reflection from the water. Each attempt disrupted the water, causing the reflection to shatter into a thousand sparkling fragments. The other forest creatures laughed at her efforts. “You try in vain,” they said. “You cannot capture the moon’s light.”

Undeterred, the magpie observed and thought deeply. She noticed how the moon’s light remained constant in the sky, even though it danced and fragmented in the water. This realization sparked an idea.

Instead of trying to capture the reflection, the magpie collected shards of shiny objects and assembled them in her nest. To her delight, they glittered in the moonlight, resembling the moon’s reflection on the water. The magpie realized she had not failed but had found a new way to bring the moon’s beauty to her home.”

Failure is the source of the most magnificent inventions. One of the most amazing qualities we as humans have is our ability to adapt and survive.

Adaptation is our greatest strength

We can find a way—a workaround—for any given situation. The longer you play the game of challenges, the better you become when life throws a curveball at you.

You just can´t stop playing.

That’s the only rule set in stone.

Always keep playing the ball patiently and you will score another goal

Quote 4: “It’s Not About How Hard You Hit. It’s About How Hard You Can Get Hit and Keep Moving Forward.” (Rocky Balboa)

“In a sprawling valley, there stood a mighty oak and a slender reed. The oak prided itself on its strength, boasting that it could withstand the mightiest storms. The reed, flexible and modest, simply nodded in silence.

One day, a fierce storm swept through the valley. The oak stood tall and fought against the wind with all its might, resisting every gust. The reed, on the other hand, bent and swayed gracefully with the wind, yielding but not breaking.

As the storm’s fury grew, the mighty oak, relying solely on its strength, eventually uprooted and fell. The reed, though battered, remained standing, having absorbed the force of the wind without resisting.”

Strength isn´t always measured equally. Resistance and resilience are what allow you to get further in life.

Brute force may work here and there, but the one thing that all winners and successful people possess is endurance, consistency, and resilience.

Success is a result of compound interests and habits

The silent battles and years of struggle that no one ever sees because once you finally achieve your goals and people notice, they rarely ever consider the costs.

sweat, blood, and tears.

The broken heart and the lost moments. The sacrifice and the pain that you had to lean into and even embrace.

All of that is hidden at first sight, as it was with those trees in the fable.

Quote 5: “Remember That Failure Is An Event, Not A Person” (Zig Ziglar)

“In a quaint village, there lived a young painter known for her vibrant landscapes. One evening, she set out to paint the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen. However, as she painted, she found herself unable to capture the sunset’s true magnificence. The colors didn’t blend right, the proportions were off, and the final painting looked nothing like what she had envisioned.

Disheartened, she showed her work to a wise elder in the village. Expecting criticism, she was surprised when the elder smiled and said, “This painting may not have captured the sunset, but it does not define your talent or worth as a painter. Remember, a failed painting is just an event, a single moment in time. It does not reflect who you are as an artist.”

Encouraged by the elder’s words, the painter continued to hone her skills, learning from each unsuccessful painting. With time, she grew to be a master artist, cherished and admired by her village.”

How often do we end up identifying ourselves with our success or lack thereof?

It is the egoistical mind that gets in our way.

To me, this was always one of the most difficult aspects to overcome. When I lost my company, it wasn´t so much about the loss of material things and money. What really almost killed me was the false notion that I was no longer that CEO or that successful entrepreneur I had identified myself with all those years.

My whole identity was linked to that company and when the company went out of business, it almost destroyed me.

Little did I understand that entrepreneurship isn´t a position or job you hold. It is an attitude and a mindset that no one can take away from you.


All of this led me to go on a different path.

I call it The Uncharted Road Newsletter For Unapologetic Single Men Who Want True Freedom and Walk Away

Get tips and advice on building a Solo Business while traveling and doing photography every Friday for free into your inbox here

Leave a Reply