--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like many successful people he made good…" description: "\"Like many successful people he made good use of disappointments - responding to them with energy, with near-frenzied activity, rather than needing to r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png" --- # Like many successful people he made good use of… ![“Like many successful people he made good use of disappointments - responding to them with energy, with near-frenzied activity, rather than needing to recover from them.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png) > “Like many successful people he made good use of disappointments - responding to them with energy, with near-frenzied activity, rather than needing to recover from them.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Successful individuals turn setbacks into vigorous activity rather than lingering in recovery. **In simple terms:** Turn disappointment into energetic action. Key Takeaway Channel setbacks into proactive effort. Themes resilience productivity mindset Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career challenges - personal loss - creative projects - team setbacks Key Concepts growth mindset psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance action with rest? - What strategies prevent burnout after setbacks? A Different Perspective Constant activity may lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Disappointments Responding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointments-responding-5558584/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Frenzied Activity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frenzied-activity-3785587/) [Like Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-successful-1398939/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Responding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responding/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-people/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Disappointments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-disappointments-3765184/) ## Related quotes > [Frenzied activity is no gauge of spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fraser-young/frenzied-activity-is-no-gauge-of-spirituality/) [Fraser Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fraser-young/) > [Winter in Maine is a time of alternating rest and frenzied activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-allen/winter-in-maine-is-a-time-of-alternating-rest-and-frenzied-activity/) [Tom Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-allen/) > [I try and use disappointments to fuel that fire within me to make sure I learn from that situation and I improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-try-and-use-disappointments-to-fuel-that-fire-within-me-to-make/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [If you use disappointments as sort of mid- semester exams, for learning, you will learn that every disappointment you overcome makes you stronger- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/if-you-use-disappointments-as-sort-of-mid-semester-exams-for-learning/) [Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/) > [“Is he?” Dad seemed happy about this. “Oh, yes. I think it’s important to him that we all feel like we could be successful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/is-he-dad-seemed-happy-about-this-oh-yes-i-think-it-s-important-to/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [I grew up in a generation where I really had no one to admire and say, 'Oh, that looks like me and she's successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-bidot/i-grew-up-in-a-generation-where-i-really-had-no-one-to-admire-and-say/) [Denise Bidot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-bidot/) > [I feel like when you successful, it's more stress 'cause it's more stuff you dealin' with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-feel-like-when-you-successful-it-s-more-stress-cause-it-s-more/) [YG](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yg/) > [Like any successful politician, Obama has benefitted from being well-liked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/like-any-successful-politician-obama-has-benefitted-from-being-well/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [I always felt like wherever I was, I'd be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/i-always-felt-like-wherever-i-was-i-d-be-successful/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) > [Like all successful politicians I married above myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/like-all-successful-politicians-i-married-above-myself/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“I'd like to be a successful author before my hairline recedes further! OK I'm vain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-millar/i-d-like-to-be-a-successful-author-before-my-hairline-recedes-further/) [David H. Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-millar/) > [Success as a woman has changed me. That's what I feel is the first thing. When I feel like a successful woman as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-bisset/success-as-a-woman-has-changed-me-that-s-what-i-feel-is-the-first/) [Jacqueline Bisset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-bisset/) > [I live in New York and I'm in New York basically all the time. I spend a lot of my time in my restaurants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-flay/i-live-in-new-york-and-i-m-in-new-york-basically-all-the-time-i-spend/) [Bobby Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-flay/) > [I like being successful. Giving back is just a part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-loftin/i-like-being-successful-giving-back-is-just-a-part-of-that/) [Peter Loftin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-loftin/) > [I would like to be as successful as Ian Botham was, but if I'm doing anything, I'm doing it as myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-flintoff/i-would-like-to-be-as-successful-as-ian-botham-was-but-if-i-m-doing/) [Andrew Flintoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-flintoff/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) [Gero Miesenbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gero-miesenbock/) > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Like many successful people he made good use of disappointments - responding to them with energy, with near-frenzied activity, rather than needing to recover from them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/like-many-successful-people-he-made-good-use-of-disappointments/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/like-many-successful-people-he-made-good-use-of-disappointments/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/john-irving-337_activity_like-many-successful-people-he-made-good_3134767.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like many successful people he made good use of disappointments - responding to them with energy, with…” — John Irving", "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 Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Like many successful people he made...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/like-many-successful-people-he-made-good-use-of-disappointments/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/like-many-successful-people-he-made-good-use-of-disappointments/#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 } } ] } ```