--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The need to challenge the status quo is…" description: "\"The need to challenge the status quo is just more obvious when you're failing than when you're succeeding. But it's no less urgent.\" — Edwin Catmull" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/edwin-catmull-5340_failing_the-need-to-challenge-the-status-quo-is_2114613.png" --- # The need to challenge the status quo is just more obvious… ![“The need to challenge the status quo is just more obvious when you're failing than when you're succeeding. But it's no less urgent.” quote by Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/edwin-catmull-5340_failing_the-need-to-challenge-the-status-quo-is_2114613.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/edwin-catmull-5340_failing_the-need-to-challenge-the-status-quo-is_2114613.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/edwin-catmull-5340_failing_the-need-to-challenge-the-status-quo-is_2114613.png) > “The need to challenge the status quo is just more obvious when you're failing than when you're succeeding. But it's no less urgent.” [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenging norms is most urgent during failure, yet often ignored, demanding continuous improvement. **In simple terms:** Challenge norms especially when failing. Key Takeaway Seek feedback during setbacks. Themes innovation resilience growth Mood critical motivational Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - startup - product development - team dynamics - personal goals Key Concepts disruption learning loops Questions to Reflect On - What obstacles prevent you from questioning the status quo? - How can you turn failure into a catalyst for change? A Different Perspective Failure can also breed complacency if not addressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Failing Succeeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing-succeeding-2457929/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/less/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [Succeeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeeding/) [Succeeding Urgent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeeding-urgent-4285003/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [As an entrepreneur you are often failing as much as you are succeeding. You are falling on your face as much as you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-maybank/as-an-entrepreneur-you-are-often-failing-as-much-as-you-are/) [Alexis Maybank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-maybank/) > [Remember that the opposite of failing is not succeeding; the opposite of failing is trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/remember-that-the-opposite-of-failing-is-not-succeeding-the-opposite/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [You are your own best friend. You're responsible for your successes and your failures. You have no one to blame or appreciate but yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-scott/you-are-your-own-best-friend-you-re-responsible-for-your-successes/) [Luke Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-scott/) > [“It's hard to show you that I tried unless you end up succeeding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn-david-levithan/it-s-hard-to-show-you-that-i-tried-unless-you-end-up-succeeding/) [Rachel Cohn David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn-david-levithan/) > [“Almost nothing can stop you from succeeding if you have a) flexibility and b) self-accountability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/almost-nothing-can-stop-you-from-succeeding-if-you-have-a-flexibility/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [There are so many businesses that are succeeding on Yelp that don't pay us a dollar, and we're really excited about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/there-are-so-many-businesses-that-are-succeeding-on-yelp-that-don-t/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [“Never give up your right to be wrong, and be sure to give others that right too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-fargo/never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong-and-be-sure-to-give-others-that/) [Tim Fargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-fargo/) > [I regard (parenting) as the hardest, most complicated, anxiety-ridden, sweat-and-blood-producing job in the world. 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You’ve done a marvelous job of succeeding at failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kreitzer/oh-yes-you-ve-done-a-marvelous-job-of-succeeding-at-failure/) [Laura Kreitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kreitzer/) > [Failure is not an option, but greatness is achieved by succeeding through failures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/failure-is-not-an-option-but-greatness-is-achieved-by-succeeding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Trying is for everyday, but success has it own time and date. That is why success is no different than a fish. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/trying-is-for-everyday-but-success-has-it-own-time-and-date-that-is/) [De philosopher DJ Kyos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/de-philosopher-dj-kyos/) > [Tolerance for uncertainty is the prerequisite to succeeding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bayles/tolerance-for-uncertainty-is-the-prerequisite-to-succeeding/) [David Bayles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bayles/) > [You have to fail, man, but you cannot allow failure to stop you from doing what you must do. Failing is just as good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/you-have-to-fail-man-but-you-cannot-allow-failure-to-stop-you-from/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [If you're having trouble succeeding, fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/if-you-re-having-trouble-succeeding-fail/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) ## More by Edwin Catmull > [Lucasfilm has always had an openness to technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/lucasfilm-has-always-had-an-openness-to-technology/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creative ideas aren't like Jenga blocks, where they fall apart and you've got to start from scratch, though it can feel that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creative-ideas-aren-t-like-jenga-blocks-where-they-fall-apart-and-you/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [With every one of our films, we try to touch emotions, but we don't try to touch the same emotions each time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/with-every-one-of-our-films-we-try-to-touch-emotions-but-we-don-t-try/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Every new idea in any field needs protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/every-new-idea-in-any-field-needs-protection/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creativity has to start somewhere, and we are true believers in the power of bracing, candid feedback, and the iterative process - reworking, reworking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creativity-has-to-start-somewhere-and-we-are-true-believers-in-the/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [At heart, we believe that the films that work well are the films that do touch people emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/at-heart-we-believe-that-the-films-that-work-well-are-the-films-that/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creativity doesn't follow titles. It just comes from where it comes from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creativity-doesn-t-follow-titles-it-just-comes-from-where-it-comes/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [We'll fund a project even if I'm skeptical because I'd rather be proven wrong by somebody on the inside than by somebody on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/we-ll-fund-a-project-even-if-i-m-skeptical-because-i-d-rather-be/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [I actually feel awkward being at the center of attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/i-actually-feel-awkward-being-at-the-center-of-attention/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [We have a whole industry which is gigantic: games. Games is very successful. It's its own art form, though, and it's not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/we-have-a-whole-industry-which-is-gigantic-games-games-is-very/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [A movie contains literally tens of thousands of ideas. They're in the form of every sentence; in the performance of each line; in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/a-movie-contains-literally-tens-of-thousands-of-ideas-they-re-in-the/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [With certain ideas, you can predict commercial success. So with a 'Toy Story 3' or a 'Cars 2,' you know the idea is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/with-certain-ideas-you-can-predict-commercial-success-so-with-a-toy/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Beware of being blinded by your own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/beware-of-being-blinded-by-your-own-success/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [My best advice came by examples. A supportive environment at home, school, and grad school. Support at the New York Institute of Technology, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/my-best-advice-came-by-examples-a-supportive-environment-at-home/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [When it comes to producing breakthroughs, both technological and artistic, Pixar's track record is unique. In the early 1990s, we were known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/when-it-comes-to-producing-breakthroughs-both-technological-and/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) [Explore all 101 Edwin Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) ## More Failing quotes > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Trial by jury. Live wherever you can make a living. How could a government based on such principles fail?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-ambrose/trial-by-jury-live-wherever-you-can-make-a-living-how-could-a/) [Stephen Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-ambrose/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/) [Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/) > [I would warn against holsters with devices for quick-draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/i-would-warn-against-holsters-with-devices-for-quick-draw-devices/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [When I paint, I never think of selling. People simply fail to understand that we paint in order to experiment and to develop ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/when-i-paint-i-never-think-of-selling-people-simply-fail-to/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I wake up every morning fearing I am going to fail. But I love a challenge, big or small. There's so much I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-mone/i-wake-up-every-morning-fearing-i-am-going-to-fail-but-i-love-a/) [Michelle Mone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-mone/) > [What I want is to be willing to fail rather than stagnate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/what-i-want-is-to-be-willing-to-fail-rather-than-stagnate/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The very first company I started failed with a great bang. The second one failed a little bit less, but still failed. The third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/the-very-first-company-i-started-failed-with-a-great-bang-the-second/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) [Browse all 5,634 Failing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The need to challenge the status quo is just more obvious when you're failing than when you're succeeding. 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