--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing ever achieved in life…" description: "\"The only thing ever achieved in life without effort is failure.\" — Francis of Assisi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg" --- # The only thing ever achieved in life without effort is… ![“The only thing ever achieved in life without effort is failure.” quote by Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg) > “The only thing ever achieved in life without effort is failure.” [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effortless success is unattainable; work is essential for achievement **In simple terms:** Nothing worthwhile comes without effort Key Takeaway Embrace hard work to avoid failure Themes effort failure achievement Mood determined thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career - education - personal goals Key Concepts work ethic existential truth Questions to Reflect On - What tasks are you avoiding? - How can you turn effort into habit? A Different Perspective Some outcomes may arise without effort, but lasting success requires work ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieved Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieved-life-487212/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Effort Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort-failure-1104704/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-effort-786049/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [You can use the same motto for everything in life. If you put that effort in, you'll get what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/you-can-use-the-same-motto-for-everything-in-life-if-you-put-that/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [I see disappointment as something small and aggregate rather than something unified or great. With a little effort, every failure can be turned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/i-see-disappointment-as-something-small-and-aggregate-rather-than/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [When someone has tried to please you, it is rude, as well as disheartening, to respond by announcing that the effort was a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/when-someone-has-tried-to-please-you-it-is-rude-as-well-as/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [The only thing in life achieved without effort is failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-in-life-achieved-without-effort-is-failure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The opposite of success is not failure. Unsuccessful efforts are not failures unless they so discourage you that you abandon further efforts to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/the-opposite-of-success-is-not-failure-unsuccessful-efforts-are-not/) [Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/) > [One of the eternal conflicts out of which life is made up is that between the effort of every man to get the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/one-of-the-eternal-conflicts-out-of-which-life-is-made-up-is-that/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [The whole life-effort of man is to get his life into direct contact with the elemental life of the cosmos, mountain life, cloud life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/the-whole-life-effort-of-man-is-to-get-his-life-into-direct-contact/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [As Carol Dweck says, “Effort is one of the things that gives meaning to life. Effort means you care about something, that something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/as-carol-dweck-says-effort-is-one-of-the-things-that-gives-meaning-to/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Life is such an effort, Child. It's a war that is renewed each day, and its moments of joy are brief parentheses for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/life-is-such-an-effort-child-it-s-a-war-that-is-renewed-each-day-and/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) > [Life is an effort that deserves a better cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/life-is-an-effort-that-deserves-a-better-cause/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Life seems to go on without effort when I am filled with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/life-seems-to-go-on-without-effort-when-i-am-filled-with-music/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [In life every effort is marked down at the end as a win or a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bennett-williams/in-life-every-effort-is-marked-down-at-the-end-as-a-win-or-a-loss/) [Edward Bennett Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bennett-williams/) > [Life is effort. So says the body. Life is blessing. So says the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/life-is-effort-so-says-the-body-life-is-blessing-so-says-the-soul/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [I have in my own fashion learned the lesson that life is effort, unremittingly repeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/i-have-in-my-own-fashion-learned-the-lesson-that-life-is-effort/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Effort is one of those things that gives meaning to life. Effort means you care about something, that something is important to you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-s-dweck/effort-is-one-of-those-things-that-gives-meaning-to-life-effort-means/) [Carol S. Dweck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-s-dweck/) ## More by Francis of Assisi > [Be Thou praised, my Lord, of our Sister Mother Earth, which sustains and hath us in rule, and produces divers fruits with coloured flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/be-thou-praised-my-lord-of-our-sister-mother-earth-which-sustains-and/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [And in any preaching you do, admonish the people concerning repentance, and that nobody can be saved except he who receives the most holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/and-in-any-preaching-you-do-admonish-the-people-concerning-repentance/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [...In this world I cannot see the Most High Son of God with my own eyes, except for His Most Holy Body and Blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/in-this-world-i-cannot-see-the-most-high-son-of-god-with-my-own-eyes/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [God could not have chosen anyone less qualified, or more of a sinner, than myself. And so, for this wonderful work He intends to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/god-could-not-have-chosen-anyone-less-qualified-or-more-of-a-sinner/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [“Keep a clear eye toward life's end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God's creature. What you are in his sight is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/keep-a-clear-eye-toward-life-s-end-do-not-forget-your-purpose-and/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Don't change the world, change worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/don-t-change-the-world-change-worlds/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [A man has only so much knowledge as he puts to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/a-man-has-only-so-much-knowledge-as-he-puts-to-work/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Woe to those who die in mortal sin!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/woe-to-those-who-die-in-mortal-sin/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [I believe that You, O Jesus, are in the most holy Sacrament. I love You and desire You. Come into my heart. I embrace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/i-believe-that-you-o-jesus-are-in-the-most-holy-sacrament-i-love-you/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Be patient in trials, watchful in prayer, and never cease working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/be-patient-in-trials-watchful-in-prayer-and-never-cease-working/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [It was easy to love God in all that was beautiful. The lessons of deeper knowledge, though, instructed me to embrace God in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/it-was-easy-to-love-god-in-all-that-was-beautiful-the-lessons-of/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [There is absolutely no man in the whole world who can possess one among you unless he first die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/there-is-absolutely-no-man-in-the-whole-world-who-can-possess-one/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/lord-grant-that-i-might-not-so-much-seek-to-be-loved-as-to-love/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [If we endure all things patiently and with gladness, thinking on the sufferings of our Blessed Lord, and bearing all for the love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/if-we-endure-all-things-patiently-and-with-gladness-thinking-on-the/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [A promise is a child of the understanding and the will; the understanding begets it, the will brings it forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/a-promise-is-a-child-of-the-understanding-and-the-will-the/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) [Explore all 131 Francis of Assisi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) ## More Effort quotes > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [Now I try to make efforts, you know, I'm just, the best effort I can do is just stay sober myself. I can at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dick/now-i-try-to-make-efforts-you-know-i-m-just-the-best-effort-i-can-do/) [Andy Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dick/) > [Reading counts as partying, even if you're not enjoying it! Even if someone's forcing you to read, you can find a way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-w-k/reading-counts-as-partying-even-if-you-re-not-enjoying-it-even-if/) [Andrew W.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-w-k/) > [ Bernie \[Ecclestone\] is the commercial rights holder so the more outgoing the champion is, the better. Of course. I also do think about our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-rights-holder-so-the-more/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [All efforts to render politics aesthetic culminate in one thing: war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-render-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I love a pocket. I'm about helping women look as good as possible on the least amount of effort. I want versatility and comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-mccartney/i-love-a-pocket-i-m-about-helping-women-look-as-good-as-possible-on/) [Stella McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-mccartney/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [“Dreams will come true as long as you give some effort towards your goal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayana/dreams-will-come-true-as-long-as-you-give-some-effort-towards-your/) [Dayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dayana/) > [I should have liked to get married, but over many decades I have lived essentially alone. I go to sleep when I'm tired, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-should-have-liked-to-get-married-but-over-many-decades-i-have-lived/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) [Browse all 8,602 Effort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing ever achieved in life without effort is failure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis of Assisi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-without-effort-is-failure/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Effort" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-without-effort-is-failure/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fab/francis-of-assisi-3402_effort_the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-wit_2020987.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing ever achieved in life without effort is failure.” — Francis of Assisi", "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": "Francis of Assisi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only thing ever achieved in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-without-effort-is-failure/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/the-only-thing-ever-achieved-in-life-without-effort-is-failure/#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 } } ] } ```