--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you fail the first time that's just a…" description: "\"If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start over again.\" — Lenny Wilkens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png" --- # If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start… ![“If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start over again.” quote by Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png) > “If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start over again.” [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure offers a fresh opportunity to try again with new insight. **In simple terms:** Failure is a chance to restart. Key Takeaway Embrace setbacks as new starts. Themes resilience growth perseverance Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - coaching - personal development - team leadership Key Concepts mindset learning from errors Questions to Reflect On - What can you learn from this failure? - How will you adjust your approach? A Different Perspective Failure may not guarantee success without change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Starting over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-over/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Disappointment is just the chance to start once more, this time all the more insightfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/disappointment-is-just-the-chance-to-start-once-more-this-time-all/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You can start over any moment you choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pickford/if-you-have-made-mistakes-there-is-always-another-chance-for-you-you/) [Mary Pickford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pickford/) > [Nobody said that becoming successful would ever be an easy task by any means. One must be willing to fail and fail time again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/nobody-said-that-becoming-successful-would-ever-be-an-easy-task-by/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“What if you knew you wouldn't fail--what would you do? What if time and money weren't an object--what God-sized goal would you go after?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/what-if-you-knew-you-wouldn-t-fail-what-would-you-do-what-if-time-and/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [This game is obviously about failure. You're going to fail most of the time. It's how you handle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mookie-betts/this-game-is-obviously-about-failure-you-re-going-to-fail-most-of-the/) [Mookie Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mookie-betts/) > [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/) > [You need the willingness to fail all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-backus/you-need-the-willingness-to-fail-all-the-time/) [John Backus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-backus/) > [Do the things that interest you and do them with all your heart. Don't be concerned about whether people are watching you or criticizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-the-things-that-interest-you-and-do-them-with-all-your-heart-don-t-2/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I fail most of the time. As a creator, and as CEO of Patreon, things can't go well all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/i-fail-most-of-the-time-as-a-creator-and-as-ceo-of-patreon-things-can/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [The only time you mustn't fail is the last time you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/the-only-time-you-mustn-t-fail-is-the-last-time-you-try/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [Any business that does not innovate will fail over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/any-business-that-does-not-innovate-will-fail-over-time/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [You need the willingness to fail all the time. You have to generate many ideas and then you have to work very hard only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-backus/you-need-the-willingness-to-fail-all-the-time-you-have-to-generate/) [John Backus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-backus/) > [I win and succeed only 'cause I fail so much. I fail all the time. I wrote 70 songs just to have 12 good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/i-win-and-succeed-only-cause-i-fail-so-much-i-fail-all-the-time-i/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [The only time you don't fail is the last time you try anything -- and it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-strong/the-only-time-you-don-t-fail-is-the-last-time-you-try-anything-and-it/) William Strong > [I fail all of the time. It means nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/i-fail-all-of-the-time-it-means-nothing/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) ## More by Lenny Wilkens > [“Athletes, we were supposed to just be there, and in class I made it a point that I was prepared for every exam, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/athletes-we-were-supposed-to-just-be-there-and-in-class-i-made-it-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I always felt that I was as good as the next person, and I didn't care what they had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-always-felt-that-i-was-as-good-as-the-next-person-and-i-didn-t-care/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I learned early that if I wanted to achieve anything in life, I'd have to do it myself. I learned that I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-learned-early-that-if-i-wanted-to-achieve-anything-in-life-i-d-have/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you want it, you've got to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-want-it-you-ve-got-to-give-it/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You've got to be accountable for who you are. It's too easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/the-most-important-quality-i-look-for-in-a-player-is-accountability/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you can't go through it, find a way around it. Don't spend all your time banging your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-can-t-go-through-it-find-a-way-around-it-don-t-spend-all-your/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Meadowlark Lemon's book Trust Your Next Shot is written by a remarkable person. I have had the pleasure of knowing Meadowlark for quite some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/meadowlark-lemon-s-book-trust-your-next-shot-is-written-by-a/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [If you can't go through it, find a way around it. Don't spend all your time banging your head against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-can-t-go-through-it-find-a-way-around-it-don-t-spend-all-your-2/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I told Zollie Volchok we needed an ultrasound machine and he asked me why we needed music in the locker room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-told-zollie-volchok-we-needed-an-ultrasound-machine-and-he-asked-me/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Show people how to have success and then you can push their expectations up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/show-people-how-to-have-success-and-then-you-can-push-their/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [Intimidation doesn't last very long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/intimidation-doesn-t-last-very-long/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I never really had a chance to know the players individually... I thought when they were on the floor, they worked hard. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-never-really-had-a-chance-to-know-the-players-individually-i/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [I worry about the things I can affect, and the things I have no control over I move by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/i-worry-about-the-things-i-can-affect-and-the-things-i-have-no/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [We should never discourage young people from dreaming dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/we-should-never-discourage-young-people-from-dreaming-dreams/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) > [The American dream, to me, means having the opportunity to achieve, because I don't think you should be guaranteed anything other than opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/the-american-dream-to-me-means-having-the-opportunity-to-achieve/) [Lenny Wilkens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) [Explore all 16 Lenny Wilkens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start over again.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lenny Wilkens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a-chance-to-start-over-again/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a-chance-to-start-over-again/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cb/lenny-wilkens-31665_chance_if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a_410825.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you fail the first time that's just a chance to start over again.” — Lenny Wilkens", "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": "Lenny Wilkens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-wilkens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you fail the first time...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a-chance-to-start-over-again/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-wilkens/if-you-fail-the-first-time-that-s-just-a-chance-to-start-over-again/#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 } } ] } ```