--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From a very early age, the message is…" description: "\"“From a very early age, the message is drilled into our heads: Failure is bad; failure means you didn’t study or prepare; failure means you slacked off..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/ed-catmull-1553_failure_from-a-very-early-age-the-message-is-dri_2218386.jpg" --- # From a very early age, the message is drilled into our… ![“From a very early age, the message is drilled into our heads: Failure is bad; failure means you didn’t study or prepare; failure means you slacked off or—worse!—aren’t smart enough to begin with. Thus, failure is something to be ashamed of.” quote by Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/ed-catmull-1553_failure_from-a-very-early-age-the-message-is-dri_2218386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/ed-catmull-1553_failure_from-a-very-early-age-the-message-is-dri_2218386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/ed-catmull-1553_failure_from-a-very-early-age-the-message-is-dri_2218386.jpg) > ““From a very early age, the message is drilled into our heads: Failure is bad; failure means you didn’t study or prepare; failure means you slacked off or—worse!—aren’t smart enough to begin with. Thus, failure is something to be ashamed of.”” [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society teaches that failure is a personal flaw, linking it to lack of intelligence or effort, which creates shame and avoidance of risk. **In simple terms:** Failure is portrayed as a personal defect. Key Takeaway Embrace failure as a learning tool. Themes education self‑esteem risk failure shame Mood anxious reflective Type motivational cautionary When to use this quote - school - career - creative projects - entrepreneurship Key Concepts growth mindset psychology culture Questions to Reflect On - How does your upbringing shape your view of failure? - What can you learn from a recent setback? A Different Perspective Failure can also be demotivating if not framed constructively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ## Related quotes > [“FOR MOST OF us, failure comes with baggage—a lot of baggage—that I believe is traced directly back to our days in school. From a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/for-most-of-us-failure-comes-with-baggage-a-lot-of-baggage-that-i/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [Failure is part of success, and nobody should ever view failure as a bad thing as long as you learn from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-scott/failure-is-part-of-success-and-nobody-should-ever-view-failure-as-a/) [Jonathan Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-scott/) > [Failure is not always a bad thing. You just have to be smart while you're in the middle of it. You're in the eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharrell-williams/failure-is-not-always-a-bad-thing-you-just-have-to-be-smart-while-you/) [Pharrell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharrell-williams/) > [Failure's not a bad thing. It builds character. It makes you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-dee-williams/failure-s-not-a-bad-thing-it-builds-character-it-makes-you-stronger/) [Billy Dee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-dee-williams/) > [“Failure in and of itself is not a bad thing. But failing to learn from it is inexcusable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-levine/failure-in-and-of-itself-is-not-a-bad-thing-but-failing-to-learn-from/) [Alison Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-levine/) > [For me, failure is not a bad thing because it teaches you how to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shikhar-dhawan/for-me-failure-is-not-a-bad-thing-because-it-teaches-you-how-to/) [Shikhar Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shikhar-dhawan/) > [Excessive pay and rewards for failure are bad for shareholders, the economy and society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/excessive-pay-and-rewards-for-failure-are-bad-for-shareholders-the/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [No mistake or failure is as bad as to stop and not try again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/no-mistake-or-failure-is-as-bad-as-to-stop-and-not-try-again/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) > [There's no disgrace in failing, lad, Though friends and foes deride; In fact, a failure's not so bad As never having tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/there-s-no-disgrace-in-failing-lad-though-friends-and-foes-deride-in/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When a child makes a mistake or fails to accomplish a certain goal, we must avoid any word or action which indicates that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-dreikurs/when-a-child-makes-a-mistake-or-fails-to-accomplish-a-certain-goal-we/) [Rudolf Dreikurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-dreikurs/) > [War is always a failure. It means we've failed in diplomacy and we've failed in talking to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/war-is-always-a-failure-it-means-we-ve-failed-in-diplomacy-and-we-ve/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [I had to succeed. Failure means I would have to be homeless again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-tahari/i-had-to-succeed-failure-means-i-would-have-to-be-homeless-again/) [Elie Tahari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-tahari/) > [LIFE is not about having all that you want, it's about appreciating things that you have. FAILURE means you've tried, Getting HURT means you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-about-having-all-that-you-want-it-s-about-appreciating/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Not trying is, of course, the ultimate failure, for it means you can never make progress toward your goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-niven/not-trying-is-of-course-the-ultimate-failure-for-it-means-you-can/) [David Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-niven/) > [If the whole process of learning from failure means discarding stuff that's not working, but in fact, our natural reaction is to keep going,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-harford/if-the-whole-process-of-learning-from-failure-means-discarding-stuff/) [Tim Harford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-harford/) ## More by Ed Catmull > [“So I tell myself that I have time, even when I don’t. As in, ‘Okay, I’m going to proceed as if I have time—I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/so-i-tell-myself-that-i-have-time-even-when-i-don-t-as-in-okay-i-m/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“How, then, do you make failure into something people can face without fear? Part of the answer is simple: If we as leaders can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/how-then-do-you-make-failure-into-something-people-can-face-without/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Andrew Stanton says, adding that on each of his own films, he has made a point of doing this on a smaller scale, separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/andrew-stanton-says-adding-that-on-each-of-his-own-films-he-has-made/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came-with-an-added-and-unexpected/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“This principle eludes most people, but it is critical: You are not your idea, and if you identify too closely with your ideas, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-principle-eludes-most-people-but-it-is-critical-you-are-not-your/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“You might say I’m an advocate for humility in leaders. But to be truly humble, those leaders must first understand how many of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/you-might-say-i-m-an-advocate-for-humility-in-leaders-but-to-be-truly/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Rejecting failure and avoiding mistakes seem like high-minded”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/rejecting-failure-and-avoiding-mistakes-seem-like-high-minded/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“The most productive creative sessions allow for the exploration of myriad trains of thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/the-most-productive-creative-sessions-allow-for-the-exploration-of/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“My rule of thumb is that any time we impose limits or procedures, we should ask how they will aid in enabling people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/my-rule-of-thumb-is-that-any-time-we-impose-limits-or-procedures-we/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Toy Story went on to become the top-grossing film of the year and would earn $358 million worldwide. But it wasn’t just the numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/toy-story-went-on-to-become-the-top-grossing-film-of-the-year-and/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“THERE IS NOTHING quite like ignorance combined with a driving need to succeed to force rapid learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/there-is-nothing-quite-like-ignorance-combined-with-a-driving-need-to/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-makes-pixar-special-is-that-we-acknowledge-we-will-always-have/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Every morning, as I walk into Pixar Animation Studios—past the twenty-foot-high sculpture of Luxo Jr., our friendly desk lamp mascot, through the double doors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/every-morning-as-i-walk-into-pixar-animation-studios-past-the-twenty/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“What makes Pixar special is that we acknowledge we will always have problems, many of them hidden from our view; that we work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/what-makes-pixar-special-is-that-we-acknowledge-we-will-always-have-2/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“I believe that managers must loosen the controls, not tighten them. They must accept risk; they must trust the people they work with and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/i-believe-that-managers-must-loosen-the-controls-not-tighten-them/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) [Explore all 226 Ed Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## 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": "“From a very early age, the message is drilled into our heads: Failure is bad; failure means you didn’t study or prepare; failure means you slacked off or—worse!—aren’t smart enough to begin with. 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