--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Failure is not fatal, but failure to…" description: "\"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.\" — John Wooden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png" --- # Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be. ![“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” quote by John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png) > “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure itself isn’t deadly, but staying unchanged after failing leads to stagnation **In simple terms:** Not changing after failing is dangerous Key Takeaway Embrace change after setbacks Themes growth resilience adaptability Mood inspirational thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports coaching - business leadership - personal development Key Concepts Fixed mindset learning from errors continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - What change could you make after a recent failure? - How do you balance stability with necessary change? A Different Perspective Change can be uncomfortable and risky ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-change-2147513/) [Failure Fatal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-fatal-826273/) [Failure Is Not Fatal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-is-not-fatal/) [Fatal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatal/) [Fatal Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatal-failure-2147514/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) ## Related quotes > [“Failure is not Fatal, but Failure to CHANGE can be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-change-can-be/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Failure is never fatal. But failure to change can and might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failure-is-never-fatal-but-failure-to-change-can-and-might-be/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Failure is not fatal. Only failure to get back up is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/failure-is-not-fatal-only-failure-to-get-back-up-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Failure is not fatal. Failure should be our teacher, nor our undertaker. It should challenge us to new heights of accomplishments, not pull us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/failure-is-not-fatal-failure-should-be-our-teacher-nor-our-undertaker/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Success is not permanent & failure is not fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ditka/success-is-not-permanent-failure-is-not-fatal/) [Mike Ditka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ditka/) > [To me, failure is not fatal unless you quit; getting knocked down is not embarrassing unless you allow it to keep you down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/to-me-failure-is-not-fatal-unless-you-quit-getting-knocked-down-is/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [“Success is not final, failure is not fatal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/success-is-not-final-failure-is-not-fatal/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Failure is not fatal until and unless you give up your next attempt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sijin-bt/failure-is-not-fatal-until-and-unless-you-give-up-your-next-attempt/) [Sijin Bt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sijin-bt/) > [Failure is not fatal; victory is not success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-richardson/failure-is-not-fatal-victory-is-not-success/) [Tony Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-richardson/) > [We must stop pulling ourselves and start pushing ourselves towards success. Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-mamerto/we-must-stop-pulling-ourselves-and-start-pushing-ourselves-towards/) [Edwin Mamerto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-mamerto/) > [I believe there is nothing we endure in life that you can't recover from. Failure is not fatal. Everyone has the capacity to fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-believe-there-is-nothing-we-endure-in-life-that-you-can-t-recover/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [“Failure is not fatal nor that you are finished but the result of unfinished product waiting to be reproduced, reprocessed and polished. 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You have to change something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/if-you-help-one-person-in-the-room-you-re-an-abject-failure-you-have/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by John Wooden > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/defense-is-a-definite-part-of-the-game-and-a-great-part-of-defense-is/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it. -John wooden”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-so-important-who-starts-the-game-but-who-finishes-it-john/) [John wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“I remain convinced to this day that compassion like that—sincerely caring for your players and maintaining an active interest in their lives, concerns, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-remain-convinced-to-this-day-that-compassion-like-that-sincerely/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I'm not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I'm going to say I'm opposed to war. But I'm also opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-m-not-going-to-say-i-was-opposed-to-the-vietnam-war-i-m-going-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating...too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/being-a-role-model-is-the-most-powerful-form-of-educating-too-often/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Each of us has a huge capacity to learn and to achieve. 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Emotionalism makes you weaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/intensity-makes-you-stronger-emotionalism-makes-you-weaker/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/reputation-is-what-others-perceive-you-as-being-and-their-opinion-may/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) [Explore all 578 John Wooden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Wooden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-change-might-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-change-might-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c1/john-wooden-420_change_failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-chan_1815174.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” — John Wooden", "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 Wooden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Failure is not fatal, but failure...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-change-might-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/failure-is-not-fatal-but-failure-to-change-might-be/#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 } } ] } ```