--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was no such thing as defeat if you…" description: "\"There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it.\" — Fay Weldon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png" --- # There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it. ![“There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it.” quote by Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png) > “There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it.” [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defeat is only real if one accepts it; mental acceptance defines failure. **In simple terms:** Defeat exists when you accept it. Key Takeaway Choose not to accept failure. Themes mindset resilience perseverance Mood motivational empowering Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - sports - business setbacks - personal challenges - health journeys Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does acceptance of defeat feel like? - How can one reframe setbacks? A Different Perspective May downplay genuine loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) ## Related quotes > [“My whole life has been a battle lost on the map. Cowardice didn't even make it to the battlefield, where perhaps it would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/my-whole-life-has-been-a-battle-lost-on-the-map-cowardice-didn-t-even/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [I didn't accept it. I received it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/i-didn-t-accept-it-i-received-it/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [There is no such thing as defeat except when it comes from within. As long as a person doesn't admit he is defeated, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-except-when-it-comes-from-within-as/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [There is no such thing as defeat in non-violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-in-non-violence/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [I applied to come to Harvard and they didn't accept me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fab-moretti/i-applied-to-come-to-harvard-and-they-didn-t-accept-me/) [Fab Moretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fab-moretti/) > [Explaining the $1000 in cash and two watches he was given by two Japanese journalists after he helped arrange a private interview for them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-v-allen/explaining-the-1000-in-cash-and-two-watches-he-was-given-by-two/) [Richard V. Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-v-allen/) > [Actually, I invited many Commonwealth leaders to come to Malaysia. They did not accept my invitation. By that, I mean, they didn't say they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/actually-i-invited-many-commonwealth-leaders-to-come-to-malaysia-they/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [I didn’t accept your sacrifice. I turned it down.” I felt a small Oh form at my mouth, but it never quite made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-didn-t-accept-your-sacrifice-i-turned-it-down-i-felt-a-small-oh/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [It's true I was interested in going to Everton, but I didn't accept the offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-moutinho/it-s-true-i-was-interested-in-going-to-everton-but-i-didn-t-accept/) [Joao Moutinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-moutinho/) > [I wasn't accepted because I didn't accept the drug culture that most of my peers were involved in. Now it's like a locked room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-sinatra/i-wasn-t-accepted-because-i-didn-t-accept-the-drug-culture-that-most/) [Nancy Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-sinatra/) > [We may run into many downfalls in life, but with a mighty God on our side those downfalls have already been defeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-seaport/we-may-run-into-many-downfalls-in-life-but-with-a-mighty-god-on-our/) [Pauline Seaport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-seaport/) > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) > [It doesn't matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly.Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/it-doesn-t-matter-what-your-circumstances-are-at-the-present-moment/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“I met Suffering on a quiet road, just as the sun was setting behind me. Its presence was heavy, like an old coat I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/i-met-suffering-on-a-quiet-road-just-as-the-sun-was-setting-behind-me/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) ## More by Fay Weldon > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [My experience of men in cars has always been that if you don't want them to do something, they will. It is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/my-experience-of-men-in-cars-has-always-been-that-if-you-don-t-want/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [Letters crossing in the post, unfamiliar tunes heard three times in one day, the way that blows of fate descend upon the same bowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/letters-crossing-in-the-post-unfamiliar-tunes-heard-three-times-in/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“If that was dying, I don't want to do it again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/if-that-was-dying-i-don-t-want-to-do-it-again/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [One sort of believes in recycling. But one believes in it as a kind of palliative to the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/one-sort-of-believes-in-recycling-but-one-believes-in-it-as-a-kind-of/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“Truly, books are wonderful things; to sit alone in a room and laugh and cry, because you are reading, and still be safe when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/truly-books-are-wonderful-things-to-sit-alone-in-a-room-and-laugh-and/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“Not satisfied with what he's got? Is that it? That's husbands all over. Ungrateful pigs. You do everything for them, you bring up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/not-satisfied-with-what-he-s-got-is-that-it-that-s-husbands-all-over/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“Food. Drink. Sleep. Books. They are all drugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/food-drink-sleep-books-they-are-all-drugs/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [The prophets of doom, in my experience, are generally ignored and usually right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/the-prophets-of-doom-in-my-experience-are-generally-ignored-and/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“There is nothing, she would think, more delicious that the icing of bought chocolate cake, eaten in the silence and privacy of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-is-nothing-she-would-think-more-delicious-that-the-icing-of/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“A brave little woman,’ said the vicar. ‘So many of our women are now left alone.’ And so they were. Those who in peacetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/a-brave-little-woman-said-the-vicar-so-many-of-our-women-are-now-left/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [How has anyone ever understood anyone, except through love, which is wordless?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/how-has-anyone-ever-understood-anyone-except-through-love-which-is/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [“Women have always tried to make themselves attractive to men, and you're not going to change a thing like that in a hurry. Look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/women-have-always-tried-to-make-themselves-attractive-to-men-and-you/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [One friend dies and we remain indifferent; another dies, perhaps less intimate, and we see ourselves as dead, and weep, mourn, tear our hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/one-friend-dies-and-we-remain-indifferent-another-dies-perhaps-less/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [One must be careful with words. Words turn probabilities into facts and by sheer force of definition translate tendencies into habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/one-must-be-careful-with-words-words-turn-probabilities-into-facts/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) [Explore all 140 Fay Weldon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) Chan Heng Chee > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fay Weldon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you-didn-t-accept-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you-didn-t-accept-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c35/fay-weldon-3097_accept_there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you_2121589.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it.” — Fay Weldon", "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": "Fay Weldon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There was no such thing as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you-didn-t-accept-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you-didn-t-accept-it/#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 } } ] } ```