--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better to fail at doing the right thing…" description: "\"Better to fail at doing the right thing than to succeed at doing the wrong thing.\" — Guy Kawasaki" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png" --- # Better to fail at doing the right thing than to succeed at… ![“Better to fail at doing the right thing than to succeed at doing the wrong thing.” quote by Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png) > “Better to fail at doing the right thing than to succeed at doing the wrong thing.” [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing ethical actions over successful outcomes preserves integrity and long‑term trust. **In simple terms:** Do the right thing, even if you lose. Key Takeaway Prioritize ethics over short‑term gain. Themes ethics integrity leadership Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business decisions - personal choices - political policy - organizational culture Key Concepts Moral philosophy consequentialism Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice to stay ethical? - How do you balance profit and principle? A Different Perspective Success achieved by unethical means can erode credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing the right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I was doing the wrong thing, at the time I thought I was doing the right thing. It's like if you're dealing with somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-was-doing-the-wrong-thing-at-the-time-i-thought-i-was-doing-the/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [My great concern for you in life is not that you will fail, but that you will succeed in doing the wrong things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-g-hendricks/my-great-concern-for-you-in-life-is-not-that-you-will-fail-but-that/) [Howard G. Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-g-hendricks/) > [“If at first you don’t succeed, you’re doing it wrong. Learn from the experience. Try again, but with a different approach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-you-re-doing-it-wrong-learn-from-the/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Does experience help? NO! Not if we are doing the wrong things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/does-experience-help-no-not-if-we-are-doing-the-wrong-things/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Before rap came along, I was, actually, actively in the streets; getting in trouble, doing the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/before-rap-came-along-i-was-actually-actively-in-the-streets-getting/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [“Spent half of my life doing the wrong things, the wrong way. Plan to spent the rest half doing again the same wrong things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-yiannoudis/spent-half-of-my-life-doing-the-wrong-things-the-wrong-way-plan-to/) John C. Yiannoudis > [If you give up on your principles I don’t think that’s being pragmatic... Doing the wrong thing, even partially, isn’t being practical...if you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/if-you-give-up-on-your-principles-i-don-t-think-that-s-being/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [There is nothing worse than doing the wrong thing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/there-is-nothing-worse-than-doing-the-wrong-thing-well/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [We must do what we conceive to be the right thing, and not bother our heads or burden our souls with whether we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/we-must-do-what-we-conceive-to-be-the-right-thing-and-not-bother-our/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [The less unnecessary effort you put into learning, the more successful you'll be . . . Doing the wrong thing with more intensity rarely improves the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-buzan/the-less-unnecessary-effort-you-put-into-learning-the-more-successful/) [Tony Buzan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-buzan/) > [We are being ruined by the best efforts of people who are doing the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-are-being-ruined-by-the-best-efforts-of-people-who-are-doing-the/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The more efficient you are at doing the wrong thing, the wronger you become. It is much better to do the right thing wronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-l-ackoff/the-more-efficient-you-are-at-doing-the-wrong-thing-the-wronger-you/) [Russell L. Ackoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-l-ackoff/) > [If you're not doing some things that are crazy, then you're doing the wrong things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-page/if-you-re-not-doing-some-things-that-are-crazy-then-you-re-doing-the/) [Larry Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-page/) > [The moment you begin to depend on audience reaction, you're doing the wrong thing. You're doin' it wrong, it's a mistake, it's not right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-moment-you-begin-to-depend-on-audience-reaction-you-re-doing-the/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When you can make it this simple, though, just do the right thing. Even if you could get away with less. Even when other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/when-you-can-make-it-this-simple-though-just-do-the-right-thing-even/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) ## More by Guy Kawasaki > [Don't worry, be crappy. Revolutionary means you ship and then test... Lots of things made the first Mac in 1984 a piece of crap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/don-t-worry-be-crappy-revolutionary-means-you-ship-and-then-test-lots/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [In giving presentations, use the 10/20/30 rule…use only 10 slides, take 20 minutes maximum, and use at least 30-point fonts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/in-giving-presentations-use-the-10-20-30-rule-use-only-10-slides-take/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [What I lack in talent, I compensate with my willingness to grind it out. That's the secret of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/what-i-lack-in-talent-i-compensate-with-my-willingness-to-grind-it/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The mark of a good conversationalist is not that you can talk a lot. The mark is that you can get others to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-mark-of-a-good-conversationalist-is-not-that-you-can-talk-a-lot/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [At the end of my life, I want to say that I made the world a better place because I raised good children, loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/at-the-end-of-my-life-i-want-to-say-that-i-made-the-world-a-better/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The higher you go in a company, the less oxygen there is, so supporting intelligent life becomes difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-higher-you-go-in-a-company-the-less-oxygen-there-is-so-supporting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The record of what you do is forever recoverable because of Google. The lofty upside and scary downside makes reciprocity more important than ever.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-record-of-what-you-do-is-forever-recoverable-because-of-google/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [I think that no one, or very few, are born as good presenters. It's a skill that you learn. The key is the 10/20/30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/i-think-that-no-one-or-very-few-are-born-as-good-presenters-it-s-a/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Pursuing your passions makes you more interesting, and interesting people are enchanting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/pursuing-your-passions-makes-you-more-interesting-and-interesting/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Entitlement is the opposite of enchantment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/entitlement-is-the-opposite-of-enchantment/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Revolutionary leaders have to care more about what they think of themselves than what the world thinks of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/revolutionary-leaders-have-to-care-more-about-what-they-think-of/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing, If you have more brains than money, you should focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/if-you-have-more-money-than-brains-you-should-focus-on-outbound/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Most venture capitalists won't read a business plan unless the entrepreneur is introduced to them by a contact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/most-venture-capitalists-won-t-read-a-business-plan-unless-the/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > ["(Big name research firm) says our market will be $50 billion in 2010." Every entrepreneur has a few slides about how the market potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/big-name-research-firm-says-our-market-will-be-50-billion-in-2010/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [Go APE: Author a great book, Publish it quickly, and Entrepreneur your way to success. Self-publishing isn’t easy, but it’s fun and sometimes even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/go-ape-author-a-great-book-publish-it-quickly-and-entrepreneur-your/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) [Explore all 259 Guy Kawasaki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) ## More Doing the right thing quotes > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [Money will come to you when you are doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phillips/money-will-come-to-you-when-you-are-doing-the-right-thing/) [Michael Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phillips/) > [It's all about doing the right things at the right times and I believe I can win everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-cross/it-s-all-about-doing-the-right-things-at-the-right-times-and-i/) [Rob Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-cross/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“Management is about doing things right; leadership is about doing the right things. Peter Drucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-banfield/management-is-about-doing-things-right-leadership-is-about-doing-the/) [Richard Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-banfield/) > [There are certain things that we can deal with by following the rules. But at times, we find the rules restrict you from doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/there-are-certain-things-that-we-can-deal-with-by-following-the-rules/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Never let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-jenkins/never-let-making-a-profit-stand-in-the-way-of-doing-the-right-thing/) George W. Jenkins > [“Doing the right thing causes us to stand taller, dance more often, and step into life with more confidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-clairmont/doing-the-right-thing-causes-us-to-stand-taller-dance-more-often-and/) [Patsy Clairmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patsy-clairmont/) > [“Health, peace of mind, peak performance, and success in any area of life all depend upon doing the right thing at the right time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hanson/health-peace-of-mind-peak-performance-and-success-in-any-area-of-life/) [Tobe Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hanson/) > [Sometimes you have to steer away from the crowd in order to be a better person. It's not always easy, that's for sure. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/sometimes-you-have-to-steer-away-from-the-crowd-in-order-to-be-a/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [Doing the right thing at all costs is an absolute, and only a sith deals in absolutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-filoni/doing-the-right-thing-at-all-costs-is-an-absolute-and-only-a-sith/) [Dave Filoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-filoni/) > [ \[If\] we can celebrate that in a way that celebrates our love for New England as well as our love for the Italian culture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/if-we-can-celebrate-that-in-a-way-that-celebrates-our-love-for-new/) [Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/) > [“What sort of man could you love for a lifetime?" he asked her. She was silent for a while. He guessed that she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/what-sort-of-man-could-you-love-for-a-lifetime-he-asked-her-she-was/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [Sometimes you cannot do anything because the guy in front of you is playing well and he's doing the right things to make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/sometimes-you-cannot-do-anything-because-the-guy-in-front-of-you-is/) [Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/) > [Being trustworthy requires: Doing the right thing. And doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-peppers/being-trustworthy-requires-doing-the-right-thing-and-doing-things/) [Don Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-peppers/) [Browse all 619 Doing the right thing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-right-thing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Better to fail at doing the right thing than to succeed at doing the wrong thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Guy Kawasaki" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing-than-to-succeed-at-doing-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doing the right thing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing-than-to-succeed-at-doing-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a8/guy-kawasaki-1292_doing-the-right-thin_better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing_1989959.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Better to fail at doing the right thing than to succeed at doing the wrong thing.” — Guy Kawasaki", "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": "Guy Kawasaki", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Better to fail at doing the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing-than-to-succeed-at-doing-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/better-to-fail-at-doing-the-right-thing-than-to-succeed-at-doing-the/#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 } } ] } ```