Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort…
““Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort. It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy. When I thought about why I was sometimes reluctant to push myself, I realized that it was because I was afraid of failure–but in order to have more success, I needed to be willing to accept more failure... To counteract this fear, I told myself, 'I enjoy the fun of failure.' It's fun to fail, I kept repeating. It's part of being ambitious; it's part of being creative. If something is worth doing, it's worth doing badly.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Embracing failure as a learning tool can reduce fear and foster ambition, leading to greater success and creativity.
In simple terms: Failure can be enjoyable and useful.
Key Takeaway
Accept and enjoy failure.
Themes
growth
resilience
creativity
ambition
Mood
motivational
thoughtful
Type
self-help
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal development
- career advancement
- artistic projects
Key Concepts
failure mindset
growth mindset
creative risk
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance risk and reward?
- What failures have taught you most?
A Different Perspective
May overlook consequences of repeated failure.