--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are not a failure until you start…" description: "\"You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes\" — John Wooden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png" --- # You are not a failure until you start blaming others for… ![“You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes” quote by John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png) > “You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes” [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. Blaming others shifts focus from personal growth and learning from mistakes. **In simple terms:** Stop blaming others to improve. Key Takeaway Own your mistakes. Themes responsibility self‑improvement accountability Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - team sports - workplace - education - personal development Key Concepts psychology behavioral change Questions to Reflect On - What can you learn from your errors? - How does accountability improve performance? A Different Perspective Self‑blame can be harmful if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blaming others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blaming-others/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistakes/) ## Related quotes > [When you blame others for your own mistakes , Others will start blaming you for their mistakes - Karma works on every Shit you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/when-you-blame-others-for-your-own-mistakes-others-will-start-blaming/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [You fail all the time, but you aren't a failure until you start blaming someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bum-phillips/you-fail-all-the-time-but-you-aren-t-a-failure-until-you-start/) [Bum Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bum-phillips/) > [It's not exactly fair to make a mistake yourself and then start blaming others for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/it-s-not-exactly-fair-to-make-a-mistake-yourself-and-then-start/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Your failures won't hurt you until you start blaming them on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/your-failures-won-t-hurt-you-until-you-start-blaming-them-on-others/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [You will never win as long as you keep complaining and blaming others for your own mistakes. high time one should stand up when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-sibiya/you-will-never-win-as-long-as-you-keep-complaining-and-blaming-others/) [Elton Sibiya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-sibiya/) > [Everyone is responsible for their own actions. so think twice before you go on blaming yourself for the mistakes made by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/everyone-is-responsible-for-their-own-actions-so-think-twice-before/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [By blaming others, we fail to find the real solutions to our problems and we do not carry out our own responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/by-blaming-others-we-fail-to-find-the-real-solutions-to-our-problems/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [“Stop blaming others, its a fact that the real meaning of blaming others is actually blaming yourself !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manos-abou-chabke/stop-blaming-others-its-a-fact-that-the-real-meaning-of-blaming/) [Manos Abou Chabke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manos-abou-chabke/) > [You may succeed in making another feel guilty about something by blaming him, but you won't succeed in changing whatever it is about you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/you-may-succeed-in-making-another-feel-guilty-about-something-by/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Part of being a man is learning to take responsibility for your successes and for your failures. You can't go blaming others or being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bacon/part-of-being-a-man-is-learning-to-take-responsibility-for-your/) [Kevin Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bacon/) > [Blaming others is nothing more than excusing yourself..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/blaming-others-is-nothing-more-than-excusing-yourself/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [If you listen to the political discourse in America today, you would think that all our problems have been caused by the Mexicans of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fareed-zakaria/if-you-listen-to-the-political-discourse-in-america-today-you-would/) [Fareed Zakaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fareed-zakaria/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“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/) > [If you remember your past too well you start blaming your present for it. Look what they did to me, that's what caused me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/if-you-remember-your-past-too-well-you-start-blaming-your-present-for/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## 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. Being ever alert makes the task of becoming all we are capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/each-of-us-has-a-huge-capacity-to-learn-and-to-achieve-being-ever/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [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/) > [Love is the most powerful four letter word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/love-is-the-most-powerful-four-letter-word/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [It takes 10 hands to score a basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-takes-10-hands-to-score-a-basket/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The best competition I have is against myself to become better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-best-competition-i-have-is-against-myself-to-become-better/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, the habits you are developing now will be with you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/whether-you-know-it-or-not-whether-you-like-it-or-not-the-habits-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Intensity makes you stronger. 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 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 are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Wooden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-blaming-others-for-your-mistakes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-blaming-others-for-your-mistakes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/john-wooden-420_blame_you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-bl_2048440.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes” — 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": "You are not a failure until...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-blaming-others-for-your-mistakes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-are-not-a-failure-until-you-start-blaming-others-for-your-mistakes/#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 } } ] } ```