---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are…"
description: "\"We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are not failing we are not pushing.\" — Jonathan Ive"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/jonathan-ive-3015_afraid-to-fail_we-shouldn-t-be-afraid-to-fail-if-we-are_2259837.png"
---

#  We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are not failing we…

![“We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are not failing we are not pushing.” quote by Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/jonathan-ive-3015_afraid-to-fail_we-shouldn-t-be-afraid-to-fail-if-we-are_2259837.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/jonathan-ive-3015_afraid-to-fail_we-shouldn-t-be-afraid-to-fail-if-we-are_2259837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/297/jonathan-ive-3015_afraid-to-fail_we-shouldn-t-be-afraid-to-fail-if-we-are_2259837.png)

> “We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are not failing we are not pushing.”

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Failure is essential; without it, we never push boundaries or innovate.

**In simple terms:** Fail to grow.

Key Takeaway

Embrace failure as a catalyst for progress.

Themes

innovation risk growth

Mood

determined optimistic

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- product development
- startup culture
- personal skill building

Key Concepts

design thinking resilience creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance risk with morale?
- What safeguards help turn failure into learning?

A Different Perspective

Too much failure can demoralize teams.

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## Related quotes

> [People who take huge risks aren't afraid to fail. In fact, they love to fail. It's because failing means they found the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/people-who-take-huge-risks-aren-t-afraid-to-fail-in-fact-they-love-to/)

[Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/)

> [We shouldn't be afraid to fail- if we are not failing we are not pushing. 80% of the stuff in the studio is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-shouldn-t-be-afraid-to-fail-if-we-are-not-failing-we-are-not/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-to-fail-don-t-waste-energy-trying-to-cover-up-failure/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In order to succeed, you can't be afraid to fail. Just do it and don't let anybody tell you you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/in-order-to-succeed-you-can-t-be-afraid-to-fail-just-do-it-and-don-t/)

[Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/)

> [I'm not afraid to fail. I'm afraid to be mediocre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-seau/i-m-not-afraid-to-fail-i-m-afraid-to-be-mediocre/)

[Junior Seau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-seau/)

> [Failures are life's way of nudging you and letting you know you are off course. Trying new things and not being afraid to fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/failures-are-life-s-way-of-nudging-you-and-letting-you-know-you-are/)

[Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/)

> [When things go bad, it's easy to point fingers. People who attempt to switch the blame are afraid to fail. We've all been afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elway/when-things-go-bad-it-s-easy-to-point-fingers-people-who-attempt-to/)

[John Elway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elway/)

> [I believe anybody who is not afraid to fail is a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-believe-anybody-who-is-not-afraid-to-fail-is-a-winner/)

[Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/)

> [My biggest adjustment has been learning not to be afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-damon/my-biggest-adjustment-has-been-learning-not-to-be-afraid-to-fail/)

[Johnny Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-damon/)

> [I've had to learn through experiences not to be afraid to fail. You don't know what the future holds for you. You can hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/i-ve-had-to-learn-through-experiences-not-to-be-afraid-to-fail-you/)

[Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/)

> [Courageous people are not afraid to fail. So often in life and in sports, we're afraid to fail. Instead, we should attack things with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cullen/courageous-people-are-not-afraid-to-fail-so-often-in-life-and-in/)

[Matt Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cullen/)

> [Don't be afraid to fail. Experience is just mistakes you don't make anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/don-t-be-afraid-to-fail-experience-is-just-mistakes-you-don-t-make/)

[Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/)

> [Don't be afraid to fail. I fail every day. I failed thousands of times writing The Book Thief, and that book now means everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/don-t-be-afraid-to-fail-i-fail-every-day-i-failed-thousands-of-times/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I'm not afraid to fail...I'm scared to death of dying and having the Lord say to me, 'Angelica, this is what you might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-angelica/i-m-not-afraid-to-fail-i-m-scared-to-death-of-dying-and-having-the/)

[Mother Angelica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-angelica/)

> [The bottom line is, you can't be afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-colangelo/the-bottom-line-is-you-can-t-be-afraid-to-fail/)

[Jerry Colangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-colangelo/)

## More by Jonathan Ive

> [My father was a very good craftsman. He made furniture, he made silverware and he had an incredible gift in terms of how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/my-father-was-a-very-good-craftsman-he-made-furniture-he-made/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [The more I learnt about this cheeky - almost rebellious - company, the more it appealed to me, as it unapologetically pointed to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-more-i-learnt-about-this-cheeky-almost-rebellious-company-the/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [To design something really new and innovative you have to reject reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/to-design-something-really-new-and-innovative-you-have-to-reject/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [The most important thing is that you actually care, that you do something to the very best of your ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-actually-care-that-you-do/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [We’re surrounded by anonymous, poorly made objects. It’s tempting to think it’s because the people who use them don’t care-just like the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-re-surrounded-by-anonymous-poorly-made-objects-it-s-tempting-to/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [And I said couldn't we be more moderate? And he said why? And I said because I care about the team. And he said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/and-i-said-couldn-t-we-be-more-moderate-and-he-said-why-and-i-said/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [The absence of clutter is just a clutter-free product. That's not simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/the-absence-of-clutter-is-just-a-clutter-free-product-that-s-not/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [In our quest to quickly make three-dimensional objects, we can miss out on the experience of making something that helps give us our first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/in-our-quest-to-quickly-make-three-dimensional-objects-we-can-miss/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [A beautiful product that doesn't work very well is ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/a-beautiful-product-that-doesn-t-work-very-well-is-ugly/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [We don't do focus groups - that is the job of the designer. It's unfair to ask people who don't have a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-don-t-do-focus-groups-that-is-the-job-of-the-designer-it-s-unfair/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [I am very aware that I'm the product of growing up in England and the tradition of designing and making, of England industrialising first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/i-am-very-aware-that-i-m-the-product-of-growing-up-in-england-and-the/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [It's a very strange thing for a designer to say, but one of the things that really irritates me in products is when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/it-s-a-very-strange-thing-for-a-designer-to-say-but-one-of-the-things/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [We won't do something different for different's sake. Designers cave in to marketing, to the corporate agenda, which is sort of, 'Oh, it looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/we-won-t-do-something-different-for-different-s-sake-designers-cave/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [As a kid, I remember taking apart whatever I could get my hands on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/as-a-kid-i-remember-taking-apart-whatever-i-could-get-my-hands-on/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

> [I find that when I write, I need things to be quiet, but when I design, I can't bear it if it's quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ive/i-find-that-when-i-write-i-need-things-to-be-quiet-but-when-i-design/)

[Jonathan Ive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

[Explore all 142 Jonathan Ive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ive/)

## More Afraid to fail quotes

> [The bottom line is, you can't be afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-colangelo/the-bottom-line-is-you-can-t-be-afraid-to-fail/)

[Jerry Colangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-colangelo/)

> [So let me tell you, as you prepare to go off into the world, remember six rules: Trust yourself, Break some rules, Don't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/so-let-me-tell-you-as-you-prepare-to-go-off-into-the-world-remember/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [I'm not afraid to fail...I'm scared to death of dying and having the Lord say to me, 'Angelica, this is what you might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-angelica/i-m-not-afraid-to-fail-i-m-scared-to-death-of-dying-and-having-the/)

[Mother Angelica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-angelica/)

> [Anything I've ever attempted, I was always willing to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/anything-i-ve-ever-attempted-i-was-always-willing-to-fail/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [The greatest success goes to the person who is not afraid to fail in front of even the largest audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-packard/the-greatest-success-goes-to-the-person-who-is-not-afraid-to-fail-in/)

[David Packard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-packard/)

> [Don't be afraid to fail. I fail every day. I failed thousands of times writing The Book Thief, and that book now means everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/don-t-be-afraid-to-fail-i-fail-every-day-i-failed-thousands-of-times/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [If you are afraid of failure, you don't deserve success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/if-you-are-afraid-of-failure-you-don-t-deserve-success/)

[Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/)

> [Don't be afraid to fail. Experience is just mistakes you don't make anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/don-t-be-afraid-to-fail-experience-is-just-mistakes-you-don-t-make/)

[Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/)

> [Courageous people are not afraid to fail. So often in life and in sports, we're afraid to fail. Instead, we should attack things with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cullen/courageous-people-are-not-afraid-to-fail-so-often-in-life-and-in/)

[Matt Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cullen/)

> [I've had to learn through experiences not to be afraid to fail. You don't know what the future holds for you. You can hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/i-ve-had-to-learn-through-experiences-not-to-be-afraid-to-fail-you/)

[Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/)

> [My biggest adjustment has been learning not to be afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-damon/my-biggest-adjustment-has-been-learning-not-to-be-afraid-to-fail/)

[Johnny Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-damon/)

> [I believe anybody who is not afraid to fail is a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-believe-anybody-who-is-not-afraid-to-fail-is-a-winner/)

[Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/)

> [It is up to the leader to create a healthy environment where people are not afraid to fail. Mistakes should be seen as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/it-is-up-to-the-leader-to-create-a-healthy-environment-where-people/)

[Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/)

> [When things go bad, it's easy to point fingers. People who attempt to switch the blame are afraid to fail. We've all been afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elway/when-things-go-bad-it-s-easy-to-point-fingers-people-who-attempt-to/)

[John Elway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elway/)

> [Failures are life's way of nudging you and letting you know you are off course. Trying new things and not being afraid to fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/failures-are-life-s-way-of-nudging-you-and-letting-you-know-you-are/)

[Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/)

[Browse all 55 Afraid to fail quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-to-fail/)

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