--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Negative thoughts are the nails that…" description: "\"Negative thoughts are the nails that build a prison of failure.\" — Jon Gordon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/jon-gordon-1655_failure_negative-thoughts-are-the-nails-that-bui_1209161.png" --- # Negative thoughts are the nails that build a prison of… ![“Negative thoughts are the nails that build a prison of failure.” quote by Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/jon-gordon-1655_failure_negative-thoughts-are-the-nails-that-bui_1209161.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/jon-gordon-1655_failure_negative-thoughts-are-the-nails-that-bui_1209161.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/231/jon-gordon-1655_failure_negative-thoughts-are-the-nails-that-bui_1209161.png) > “Negative thoughts are the nails that build a prison of failure.” [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Negative thoughts reinforce self‑defeating patterns, creating a mental cage that limits achievement. **In simple terms:** Bad thoughts trap you. Key Takeaway Replace negativity with constructive thinking. Themes mindset self‑talk failure growth Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - overcoming self‑doubt - goal setting - mental health - performance anxiety Key Concepts cognitive distortion self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - What thought patterns keep you stuck? - How can you reframe a negative belief? A Different Perspective Positive action alone may not change external obstacles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Negative thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-thoughts/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) ## Related quotes > [How come we never use prison, the failure of prison, as a reason not to give more prison? 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Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/fear-is-a-negative-thought-in-your-mind-supplant-it-with-a/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Being positive helps you to keep away negative thoughts. And helps you to stand in adverse circumstances with the hope that in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/being-positive-helps-you-to-keep-away-negative-thoughts-and-helps-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Every time you think a negative thought, it's one step in the wrong direction, for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/every-time-you-think-a-negative-thought-it-s-one-step-in-the-wrong/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jon Gordon > [Joe Henderson, who I maybe, to me, if I had to pick one improviser in my life that I saw live that blew my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/joe-henderson-who-i-maybe-to-me-if-i-had-to-pick-one-improviser-in-my/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/benny-carter-came-up-to-me-and-said-to-me-you-know-in-the-whole/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [“know that I’m not a human being having a spiritual experience. I’m a spiritual being having a human experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/know-that-i-m-not-a-human-being-having-a-spiritual-experience-i-m-a/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [It's very unlikely you're a genius, but, if you're ready to work at it hard and you want to listen to music all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/it-s-very-unlikely-you-re-a-genius-but-if-you-re-ready-to-work-at-it/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [The first jazz cruise that I was on was '91. I played with Maria Schneider and John Fedchock's band. Got to meet some amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/the-first-jazz-cruise-that-i-was-on-was-91-i-played-with-maria/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [I just lucked into a lot of good people man. 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I remember hearing Oscar Peterson live at the Blue Note, which was very expensive, but...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/there-are-a-lot-of-people-that-impacted-me-i-remember-hearing-oscar/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [There's a lot of good people out here that want to help you grow and to help the music to continue to grow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/there-s-a-lot-of-good-people-out-here-that-want-to-help-you-grow-and/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [ Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums \[were in Sweet Basil\]. All those guys really took care of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/ernie-hayes-jimmy-lewis-and-either-belton-evans-or-khalil-mahdi-on/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [A true leader doesn't lead to gain power. 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Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. 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