
Those who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed. — Lloyd Jones
—What lingers after this line?
The Importance of Trying
This quote emphasizes the significance of making an attempt, even if one fails. Taking action and striving toward a goal is more valuable than achieving success without effort.
Failure as a Learning Experience
It highlights that failure is not necessarily negative; rather, it provides lessons and growth opportunities. Those who take risks and fail gain experience, while those who do nothing remain stagnant.
Courage and Initiative
The quote encourages bravery and persistence. Stepping out of one's comfort zone and attempting something, even with the risk of failure, is an act of courage that surpasses passive success.
Critique of Complacency
It suggests that those who avoid challenges and choose a risk-free path may achieve 'success' but lack true accomplishment. Success without effort lacks depth and meaning.
Philosophical Perspective on Success
Success is often perceived as the end goal, but this quote redefines success as the process of striving toward something rather than the outcome alone. True growth comes from effort, not just results.
Recommended Reading
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
One-minute reflection
What's one small action this suggests?
Related Quotes
6 selectedTo begin again is not a weakness; it is the most courageous act you can perform when the weight of the past becomes too heavy to carry. — Rupi Kaur
At first glance, starting over can look like failure, as though one has lost ground and must return to the beginning. Yet Rupi Kaur’s line overturns that assumption by framing renewal as an act of bravery rather than sur...
Read full interpretation →I have accepted fear as part of life, especially the fear of change. I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back. — Erica Jong
Erica Jong
Erica Jong’s statement begins with an act of realism rather than defeat: she does not claim to conquer fear, only to accept it as part of life. That distinction matters, because it shifts courage away from fearlessness a...
Read full interpretation →It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. — Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt draws an immediate line between observation and participation, arguing that commentary alone is not the measure of character. The “critic” may be eloquent, even accurate about mistakes, yet still remains safely...
Read full interpretation →Courage is less about fearlessness than training the mind to act with clarity and conviction. — Ranjay Gulati
Ranjay Gulati
Ranjay Gulati’s line begins by overturning a common myth: that courage belongs to people who simply don’t feel afraid. Instead, he frames fear as normal—and even expected—while locating courage in what happens next.
Read full interpretation →Dare to begin where fear says to stop; the first step redraws the map — Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho’s line treats fear less as a warning and more as a border we mistakenly accept as permanent. When fear says “stop,” it often isn’t pointing to actual danger; it’s signaling uncertainty, inexperience, or the...
Read full interpretation →If you are not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback. — Brené Brown
Brené Brown
Brené Brown’s blunt image of “the arena” draws a sharp line between spectators and participants. Feedback, she implies, carries real weight when it comes from someone who has also accepted the risks of being seen, judged...
Read full interpretation →More From Author
More from Lloyd Jones →