--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather be a failure on my own…" description: "\"“I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's,\" Waits said on the album's release.”\" — Barney Hoskyns" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png" --- # I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success… ![“I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's," Waits said on the album's release.” quote by Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png) > ““I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's," Waits said on the album's release.”” [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing personal failure over borrowed success preserves authenticity and self‑respect. **In simple terms:** Prefer failing on your own terms to succeeding for others. Key Takeaway Prioritize integrity over external validation. Themes authenticity integrity success Mood philosophical motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - personal goals Key Concepts philosophy personal values Questions to Reflect On - What does success mean to you personally? - How can you measure achievement without external approval? A Different Perspective Success defined by others can erode self‑worth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“I like beautiful melodies telling you terrible things," Waits said of such songs. "Is it my thorny, dark, oozing side, or is it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-like-beautiful-melodies-telling-you-terrible-things-waits-said-of/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [Success waits patiently for anyone who has the determination and strength to seize it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/success-waits-patiently-for-anyone-who-has-the-determination-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“You can't really be too concerned with what people think of you. You're on your own adventure of growth and discovery. Like Charles Bukowski…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/you-can-t-really-be-too-concerned-with-what-people-think-of-you-you/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [ “I like things that are kind of falling apart," he admitted to another interviewer. "\[Because\] I come from a broken home, I guess. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-like-things-that-are-kind-of-falling-apart-he-admitted-to-another/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“I do believe in the mysteries of things, about myself and the things I see. I enjoy being puzzled and arriving at my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-do-believe-in-the-mysteries-of-things-about-myself-and-the-things-i/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“You said this was going to be funny, Jim," Waits barked. "Maybe you better just circle the jokes 'cause I don't see 'em.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/you-said-this-was-going-to-be-funny-jim-waits-barked-maybe-you-better/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“I'm not a politician," he told me. "I keep my mouth shut because I don't want to put my foot in it. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-m-not-a-politician-he-told-me-i-keep-my-mouth-shut-because-i-don-t/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [I don't want to grow up,' Tom Waits said it. I live it. I put myself in a position to be a kid as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-newsted/i-don-t-want-to-grow-up-tom-waits-said-it-i-live-it-i-put-myself-in-a/) [Jason Newsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-newsted/) > [“I settle for a radio station that’s currently playing a Tom Waits track. That man has so much gravel in his voice that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-capell/i-settle-for-a-radio-station-that-s-currently-playing-a-tom-waits/) [Mark Capell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-capell/) > [True love waits, will you wait for me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-jane-reagan/true-love-waits-will-you-wait-for-me/) Emily Jane Reagan > [It waits till the midnight hour to come, to torture me for the wrong i've done. it just sits there and stares me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gnarls-barkley/it-waits-till-the-midnight-hour-to-come-to-torture-me-for-the-wrong-i/) [Gnarls Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gnarls-barkley/) > [“Why, even Death stands still and waits an hour for such a will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/why-even-death-stands-still-and-waits-an-hour-for-such-a-will/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [“In the absence of an audience, I will write down my story so that it waits like a restful beast with lungs breathing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-hill/in-the-absence-of-an-audience-i-will-write-down-my-story-so-that-it/) [Lawrence Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-hill/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More by Barney Hoskyns > [“I'm not a politician," he told me. "I keep my mouth shut because I don't want to put my foot in it. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-m-not-a-politician-he-told-me-i-keep-my-mouth-shut-because-i-don-t/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [But the truth is that L.A. was never entirely real anyway, as Steely Dan, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon, Larry David and Alan Ball all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/but-the-truth-is-that-l-a-was-never-entirely-real-anyway-as-steely/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“You said this was going to be funny, Jim," Waits barked. "Maybe you better just circle the jokes 'cause I don't see 'em.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/you-said-this-was-going-to-be-funny-jim-waits-barked-maybe-you-better/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [When LOVE played the still hipper Whisky A Go-Go, further west along Sunset, Arthur Lee claims they 'started the whole hippy thing' in tandem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/when-love-played-the-still-hipper-whisky-a-go-go-further-west-along/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“So if you go from the hippie thing to more of a Gatsby community, so what? Life is short and you have an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/so-if-you-go-from-the-hippie-thing-to-more-of-a-gatsby-community-so/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“I do believe in the mysteries of things, about myself and the things I see. I enjoy being puzzled and arriving at my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-do-believe-in-the-mysteries-of-things-about-myself-and-the-things-i/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [ “I like things that are kind of falling apart," he admitted to another interviewer. "\[Because\] I come from a broken home, I guess. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-like-things-that-are-kind-of-falling-apart-he-admitted-to-another/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“I like beautiful melodies telling you terrible things," Waits said of such songs. "Is it my thorny, dark, oozing side, or is it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-like-beautiful-melodies-telling-you-terrible-things-waits-said-of/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) > [“You can't really be too concerned with what people think of you. You're on your own adventure of growth and discovery. Like Charles Bukowski…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/you-can-t-really-be-too-concerned-with-what-people-think-of-you-you/) [Barney Hoskyns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) [Explore all 10 Barney Hoskyns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's,\" Waits said on the album's release.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barney Hoskyns" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-terms-than-a-success-on-someone/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Failure" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-terms-than-a-success-on-someone/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c6/barney-hoskyns-42179_failure_i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-te_1994012.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would rather be a failure on my own terms than a success on someone else's,\" Waits said on the album's…” — Barney Hoskyns", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barney Hoskyns", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-hoskyns/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I would rather be a failure...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-terms-than-a-success-on-someone/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-hoskyns/i-would-rather-be-a-failure-on-my-own-terms-than-a-success-on-someone/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```