--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only really fatal element in defeat…" description: "\"The only really fatal element in defeat is the resolution not to try again.\" — John Henry Jowett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg" --- # The only really fatal element in defeat is the resolution… ![“The only really fatal element in defeat is the resolution not to try again.” quote by John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg) > “The only really fatal element in defeat is the resolution not to try again.” [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defeat becomes truly fatal only when we decide not to try again, highlighting the importance of perseverance. **In simple terms:** Giving up after loss is the real danger. Key Takeaway Keep trying despite setbacks. Themes perseverance resilience mindset Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal failure - career setbacks - sports competition - academic challenges Key Concepts psychology motivation growth Questions to Reflect On - What prevents you from trying again? - How can you cultivate resilience? A Different Perspective Even with effort, external factors may still cause failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Resolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolution/) ## Related quotes > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) Out Spoken > [“Try again; you have millions of alternatives. Fill yourself with the bullets of hope and you will kill failure with one shot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/try-again-you-have-millions-of-alternatives-fill-yourself-with-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Just when you give up and think the whole world is heartless, you turn around and face someone so wonderful that they give you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/just-when-you-give-up-and-think-the-whole-world-is-heartless-you-turn/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [“If at first you don't succeed, you are running about average.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-h-alderson/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-you-are-running-about-average/) M.H. Alderson > [Letting go of the past and beginning again, isn't forgetting the pain that was caused. It simply forgiving, moving on, living and loving again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/letting-go-of-the-past-and-beginning-again-isn-t-forgetting-the-pain/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Not to give up under any circumstances should be the motto of our life: I shall try again and again, and I am bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/not-to-give-up-under-any-circumstances-should-be-the-motto-of-our/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [I move on as quickly as possible. I tend to be really hard on myself anyway, which is great for work ethic and such,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-rickards/i-move-on-as-quickly-as-possible-i-tend-to-be-really-hard-on-myself/) [Ashley Rickards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-rickards/) > [Stay the course. When thwarted try again; harder; smarter. Persevere relentlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/stay-the-course-when-thwarted-try-again-harder-smarter-persevere/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [When champions fail, they get back up and try again. They don't let failure discourage them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-clark/when-champions-fail-they-get-back-up-and-try-again-they-don-t-let/) Mary Ellen Clark > [“Wallowing in self-pity hurts no one except you. Boss up and find a way to get going again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/wallowing-in-self-pity-hurts-no-one-except-you-boss-up-and-find-a-way/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wcfields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-again-then-quit-there-s-no-use/) WCFields > [To be an entrepreneur, it just takes a lot of persistence, dedication, and drive. No matter what happens, you have to be wiling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeet-banerjee/to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-just-takes-a-lot-of-persistence-dedication/) [Jeet Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeet-banerjee/) > [Well, I think every now and again, some people deserve to get their butts chewed. Every now and again some people deserve a pat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-i-think-every-now-and-again-some-people-deserve-to-get-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who is persistent will realize God. So try your best to make meditation a regular experience in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/he-who-is-persistent-will-realize-god-so-try-your-best-to-make/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Since the white people collectively have practiced the worst form of hatred against Negroes in America and they know that they are guilty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/since-the-white-people-collectively-have-practiced-the-worst-form-of/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) ## More by John Henry Jowett > [If we do not catch men, we are in great danger of losing even the desire to catch them. Our purposed activity is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/if-we-do-not-catch-men-we-are-in-great-danger-of-losing-even-the/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/every-virtue-divorced-from-thankfulness-is-maimed-and-limps-along-the/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [It is in the field of prayer that life's critical battles are lost or won...In prayer we bring our spiritual enemies into the Presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/it-is-in-the-field-of-prayer-that-life-s-critical-battles-are-lost-or/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [It is in the field of prayer that life's critical battles are lost or won. We must conquer all our circumstances there. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/it-is-in-the-field-of-prayer-that-life-s-critical-battles-are-lost-or-2/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [All vital praying makes a drain on a man's vitality. True intercession is a sacrifice, a bleeding sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/all-vital-praying-makes-a-drain-on-a-man-s-vitality-true-intercession/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/faith-without-thankfulness-lacks-strength-and-fortitude/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [...Prayer is not always petition, sometimes it is just communion. It is the exquisite ministry of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/prayer-is-not-always-petition-sometimes-it-is-just-communion-it-is/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [Preaching that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/preaching-that-costs-nothing-accomplishes-nothing/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [Anyone can build a house: we need the Lord for the creation of a home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/anyone-can-build-a-house-we-need-the-lord-for-the-creation-of-a-home/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [It is possible to evade a multitude of sorrows by the cultivation of an insignificant life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/it-is-possible-to-evade-a-multitude-of-sorrows-by-the-cultivation-of/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/god-does-not-comfort-us-to-make-us-comfortable-but-to-make-us/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic. This is a most searching and true diagnosis. Gratitude can be a vaccine that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/gratitude-is-a-vaccine-an-antitoxin-and-an-antiseptic-this-is-a-most/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [The heavens are not filled with hostility. The sky does not express a frown. When I look up I do not contemplate a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/the-heavens-are-not-filled-with-hostility-the-sky-does-not-express-a/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [May my life be like a great hospitable tree, and may weary wanderers find in me a rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/may-my-life-be-like-a-great-hospitable-tree-and-may-weary-wanderers/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) > [Ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/ministry-that-costs-nothing-accomplishes-nothing/) [John Henry Jowett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) [Explore all 19 John Henry Jowett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/) ## More Defeat quotes > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Defeat furnishes good material to the poets and the artists, but none of us care to have the glory of the conquered apply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/defeat-furnishes-good-material-to-the-poets-and-the-artists-but-none/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“Defeat is a disease, and victory is the cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defeat-is-a-disease-and-victory-is-the-cure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The glow of victory and the harsh chill of defeat are two sides of the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lenartowicz/the-glow-of-victory-and-the-harsh-chill-of-defeat-are-two-sides-of/) Maria Lenartowicz > [After a big defeat, any player feels affected - it is about how long he needs to recover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/after-a-big-defeat-any-player-feels-affected-it-is-about-how-long-he/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [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/) > [The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gichin-funakoshi/the-ultimate-aim-of-karate-lies-not-in-victory-or-defeat-but-in-the/) [Gichin Funakoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gichin-funakoshi/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) Victor J. Dzau > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) [Browse all 2,603 Defeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only really fatal element in defeat is the resolution not to try again.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Henry Jowett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat-is-the-resolution-not-to-try/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defeat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat-is-the-resolution-not-to-try/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/john-henry-jowett-28834_defeat_the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat_752043.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only really fatal element in defeat is the resolution not to try again.” — John Henry Jowett", "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 Henry Jowett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-jowett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only really fatal element in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat-is-the-resolution-not-to-try/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-jowett/the-only-really-fatal-element-in-defeat-is-the-resolution-not-to-try/#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 } } ] } ```