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Successes, in other words, are generally seen as…

“Successes, in other words, are generally seen as confirmations of one’s underlying strategy, whereas failures tend to be thought of only as failures of outcome, not as failures of strategy.” quote by Thomas Gilovich
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““Successes, in other words, are generally seen as confirmations of one’s underlying strategy, whereas failures tend to be thought of only as failures of outcome, not as failures of strategy.””

Thomas Gilovich

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often credit success to strategy but blame failures on bad outcomes, ignoring strategic flaws.

In simple terms: Success is praised, failures blamed on luck.

Key Takeaway

Evaluate both outcomes and underlying plans.

Themes

psychology decision‑making bias learning strategy

Mood

reflective critical inquisitive

Type

behavioral motivational

When to use this quote

  • business reviews
  • personal goal setting
  • investment analysis
  • team debriefs

Key Concepts

confirmation bias outcome bias

Questions to Reflect On

  • Do you attribute failures to luck or strategy?
  • How can you assess strategy independently of results?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on outcomes can mask strategic errors.

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