--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can fail many times, but you're not a…" description: "\"“You can fail many times, but you're not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else.”\" — John Burroughs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png" --- # You can fail many times, but you're not a failure until… ![“You can fail many times, but you're not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else.” quote by John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png) > ““You can fail many times, but you're not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else.”” [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeated personal failures are not defining; only when one shifts blame to others does failure become a character flaw. **In simple terms:** Failing is normal; blaming others makes you a failure. Key Takeaway Own your mistakes, avoid blame. Themes responsibility failure accountability self-awareness growth Mood thoughtful encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - relationships - education - self-improvement Key Concepts blame shifting personal development psychology Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your need to blame? - How can you foster a culture of accountability? A Different Perspective Blame may be a defense mechanism that protects ego. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fail Many Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail-many-times/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“You can get discouraged many times, but you are not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else and stop trying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/you-can-get-discouraged-many-times-but-you-are-not-a-failure-until/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/a-man-can-fail-many-times-but-he-isn-t-a-failure-until-he-begins-to/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [American naturalist John Burroughs put it, “A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-olson/american-naturalist-john-burroughs-put-it-a-man-can-fail-many-times/) [Jeff Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-olson/) > [A man may fail many times. But he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-may-fail-many-times-but-he-is-not-a-failure-until-he-begins-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Both success and failure begin with one step. Don't be afraid to take that step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-hope/both-success-and-failure-begin-with-one-step-don-t-be-afraid-to-take/) [Amber Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-hope/) > [The main thing is this: we should never blame anyone or anything for our defeats. No matter how evil their intentions may be, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-main-thing-is-this-we-should-never-blame-anyone-or-anything-for/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/a-man-can-get-discouraged-many-times-but-he-is-not-a-failure-until-he/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [If you have a profession that depends on what you look like, you can't blame somebody for caring about that. It's part of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/if-you-have-a-profession-that-depends-on-what-you-look-like-you-can-t/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [“A man may fail many times, and then he turns to Cosmic Ordering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/a-man-may-fail-many-times-and-then-he-turns-to-cosmic-ordering/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [People may fail many times, but they become failures only when they begin to blame someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-may-fail-many-times-but-they-become-failures-only-when-they-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You will fail many times but in failing you'll learn and in learning you'll find your way. 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But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/you-may-fail-many-times-and-there-are-moments-you-may-be-discouraged/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [“People may fail many times, but they become failures only when they begin to blame someone else.                     Unknown             Any”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-aristotle/people-may-fail-many-times-but-they-become-failures-only-when-they/) Atticus Aristotle > [In order to succeed in sports or in life, you must also fail many times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/in-order-to-succeed-in-sports-or-in-life-you-must-also-fail-many-times/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [It's simple to succeed, you just have to fail many times. Over and over. Have high expectations and be crushed. After a while, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/it-s-simple-to-succeed-you-just-have-to-fail-many-times-over-and-over/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) ## More by John Burroughs > [As life nears its end with me, I find myself meditating more and more upon the mystery of its nature and origin, yet without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/as-life-nears-its-end-with-me-i-find-myself-meditating-more-and-more/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Certainly in the United States, you have a constituency in the form of the weapons laboratories, and you also have the branches of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/certainly-in-the-united-states-you-have-a-constituency-in-the-form-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [When Darwin published his conclusion that man was descended from an apelike ancestor who was again descended from a still lower type, most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-darwin-published-his-conclusion-that-man-was-descended-from-an/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Science sees the process of evolution from the outside, as one might a train of cars going by, and resolves it into the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/science-sees-the-process-of-evolution-from-the-outside-as-one-might-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Maybe that will happen with other countries as well. And so, that's why one of the things that groups like mine that work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/maybe-that-will-happen-with-other-countries-as-well-and-so-that-s-why/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [One can only learn his powers of action by action, and his powers of thought by thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/one-can-only-learn-his-powers-of-action-by-action-and-his-powers-of/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I was born with a chronic anxiety about the weather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-was-born-with-a-chronic-anxiety-about-the-weather/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [When the woodpecker is searching for food, or laying siege to some hidden grub, the sound of his hammer is dead or muffled and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/when-the-woodpecker-is-searching-for-food-or-laying-siege-to-some/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [In what bold relief stand out the lives of all walkers of the snow! The snow is a great tell-tale, and blabs as effectually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/in-what-bold-relief-stand-out-the-lives-of-all-walkers-of-the-snow/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [In October, a maple tree before your window lights up your room like a great lamp. Even on cloudy days, its presence helps to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/in-october-a-maple-tree-before-your-window-lights-up-your-room-like-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [One can return to their place of birth, but one cannot go back to your youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/one-can-return-to-their-place-of-birth-but-one-cannot-go-back-to-your/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [I still find each day too short..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/i-still-find-each-day-too-short/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [What a severe yet master artist old Winter is... No longer the canvas and the pigments, but the marble and the chisel...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/what-a-severe-yet-master-artist-old-winter-is-no-longer-the-canvas/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [Following World War II, the U.S. was the architect of the UN system, and the world financial system, and the Human Rights Declaration, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/following-world-war-ii-the-u-s-was-the-architect-of-the-un-system-and/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [“Go to the sea or climb the mountain, and with the ruggedest and the savagest you will find likewise the fairest and the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/go-to-the-sea-or-climb-the-mountain-and-with-the-ruggedest-and-the/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) [Explore all 281 John Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) Nurnizz95 > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) Yeasin Khan > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can fail many times, but you're not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Burroughs" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a-failure-until-you-begin-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a-failure-until-you-begin-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbc/john-burroughs-1157_blame_you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a_1590035.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can fail many times, but you're not a failure until you begin to blame somebody else.” — John Burroughs", "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": "John Burroughs", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can fail many times, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a-failure-until-you-begin-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/you-can-fail-many-times-but-you-re-not-a-failure-until-you-begin-to/#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 } } ] } ```