--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The secret of all failure is disobedience." description: "\"The secret of all failure is disobedience.\" — Mary Slessor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg" --- # The secret of all failure is disobedience. ![“The secret of all failure is disobedience.” quote by Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg) > “The secret of all failure is disobedience.” [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote claims that the fundamental cause of all failure is disobedience, suggesting that not following rules or guidance leads to failure. **In simple terms:** Disobedience is the main cause of failure. Key Takeaway Follow guidance and adhere to principles. Themes discipline obedience failure authority responsibility Mood critical thoughtful Type ethical practical When to use this quote - workplace compliance - education - parenting - team projects - personal goal setting Key Concepts Moral philosophy behavioral psychology leadership principles Questions to Reflect On - When is disobedience justified? - How do you differentiate harmful rules from helpful ones? A Different Perspective It may overlook external factors and systemic issues that cause failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-disobedience-1782745/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-failure-1782746/) ## Related quotes > [Well, I really don't know what the secret of success is but I can tell you that the secret of failure is to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/well-i-really-don-t-know-what-the-secret-of-success-is-but-i-can-tell/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [“I don’t know the secret of success - but the secret of failure is to always try to follow the will of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-don-t-know-the-secret-of-success-but-the-secret-of-failure-is-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [There's no secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-s-no-secret-to-success-but-the-secret-to-failure-is-trying-to/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“The secret of failure is that we see men rather than God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknown-christian/the-secret-of-failure-is-that-we-see-men-rather-than-god/) [Unknown Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknown-christian/) > [“...This is the arena in which a spiritualized disobedience means most. It doesn't mean a second New Deal, another massive bureaucratic attack on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-white/this-is-the-arena-in-which-a-spiritualized-disobedience-means-most-it/) [Curtis White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-white/) > [Disobedience was man's Original Virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/disobedience-was-man-s-original-virtue/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/arrogance-is-a-mixture-of-impertinence-disobedience-indiscipline/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [Disobedience of any kind, on any level, is sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/disobedience-of-any-kind-on-any-level-is-sin/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is a man's original virtue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/disobedience-in-the-eyes-of-anyone-who-has-read-history-is-a-man-s/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [... professing myself moreover convinced that the general's unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/professing-myself-moreover-convinced-that-the-general-s-unjust/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [When you say 'no' and you get on the streets and you do an act of civil disobedience, it changes your psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-bradbrook/when-you-say-no-and-you-get-on-the-streets-and-you-do-an-act-of-civil/) [Gail Bradbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-bradbrook/) > [Every fact of science was once Damned. Every invention was considered impossible. Every discovery was a nervous shock to some orthodoxy. Every artistic innovation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/every-fact-of-science-was-once-damned-every-invention-was-considered/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [“There is indeed something delightful about being able to combine obedience and disobedience in the same act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/there-is-indeed-something-delightful-about-being-able-to-combine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More by Mary Slessor > [Why should I fear? I am on a Royal Mission. I am in the service of the King of kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/why-should-i-fear-i-am-on-a-royal-mission-i-am-in-the-service-of-the/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [In Christ, we become new creatures. His life becomes ours. Take that word 'life' and turn it over and over and press it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/in-christ-we-become-new-creatures-his-life-becomes-ours-take-that/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Oh Lord, I thank Thee that I can bring these people Thy Word. But Lord, there are other villages back in the jungle where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/oh-lord-i-thank-thee-that-i-can-bring-these-people-thy-word-but-lord/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Blessed the man and woman who is able to serve cheerfully in the second rank - a big test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/blessed-the-man-and-woman-who-is-able-to-serve-cheerfully-in-the/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [When you think of the woman's power, you forget the power of the woman's God. I shall go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/when-you-think-of-the-woman-s-power-you-forget-the-power-of-the-woman/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Christ sent me to preach the gospel and he will look after the results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/christ-sent-me-to-preach-the-gospel-and-he-will-look-after-the-results/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Prayer is the greatest power God has put into our hands for service - praying is harder than doing, at least I find it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/prayer-is-the-greatest-power-god-has-put-into-our-hands-for-service/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Pray on, dear one- the power lies that way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/pray-on-dear-one-the-power-lies-that-way/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [My life is one long daily, hourly record of answered prayer. For physical health, for mental overstrain, for guidance given marvelously, for errors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/my-life-is-one-long-daily-hourly-record-of-answered-prayer-for/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Lord, the task is impossible for me but not for Thee. Lead the way and I will follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/lord-the-task-is-impossible-for-me-but-not-for-thee-lead-the-way-and/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [What would I do with starry crowns except to cast them at His feet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/what-would-i-do-with-starry-crowns-except-to-cast-them-at-his-feet/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [If you are ever inclined to pray for a missionary, do it at once, wherever you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/if-you-are-ever-inclined-to-pray-for-a-missionary-do-it-at-once/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [If you play with temptation do not expect God will deliver you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/if-you-play-with-temptation-do-not-expect-god-will-deliver-you/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [It were worthwhile to die, if thereby a soul could be born again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/it-were-worthwhile-to-die-if-thereby-a-soul-could-be-born-again/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) > [Christ never was in a hurry. There was no rushing forward, no anticipating, no fretting over what might be. Each day's duties were done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/christ-never-was-in-a-hurry-there-was-no-rushing-forward-no/) [Mary Slessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) [Explore all 16 Mary Slessor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/) ## More Disobedience quotes > [“There is indeed something delightful about being able to combine obedience and disobedience in the same act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/there-is-indeed-something-delightful-about-being-able-to-combine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [Every fact of science was once Damned. Every invention was considered impossible. Every discovery was a nervous shock to some orthodoxy. Every artistic innovation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/every-fact-of-science-was-once-damned-every-invention-was-considered/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [When you say 'no' and you get on the streets and you do an act of civil disobedience, it changes your psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-bradbrook/when-you-say-no-and-you-get-on-the-streets-and-you-do-an-act-of-civil/) [Gail Bradbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-bradbrook/) > [... professing myself moreover convinced that the general's unjust interference, so far from being really injurious to their felicity, was perhaps rather conducive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/professing-myself-moreover-convinced-that-the-general-s-unjust/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is a man's original virtue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/disobedience-in-the-eyes-of-anyone-who-has-read-history-is-a-man-s/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Disobedience of any kind, on any level, is sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/disobedience-of-any-kind-on-any-level-is-sin/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/arrogance-is-a-mixture-of-impertinence-disobedience-indiscipline/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [Disobedience was man's Original Virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/disobedience-was-man-s-original-virtue/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [“...This is the arena in which a spiritualized disobedience means most. It doesn't mean a second New Deal, another massive bureaucratic attack on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-white/this-is-the-arena-in-which-a-spiritualized-disobedience-means-most-it/) [Curtis White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-white/) > [There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-criminal-s/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [Satyagraha does not depend on outside help, it derives all its strength from within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/satyagraha-does-not-depend-on-outside-help-it-derives-all-its/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [International affairs is very much run like the mafia. The godfather does not accept disobedience, even from a small storekeeper who doesn't pay his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/international-affairs-is-very-much-run-like-the-mafia-the-godfather/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 489 Disobedience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The secret of all failure is disobedience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Slessor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedience/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disobedience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedience/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba5/mary-slessor-31965_disobedience_the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedienc_961519.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The secret of all failure is disobedience.” — Mary Slessor", "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": "Mary Slessor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-slessor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The secret of all failure is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedience/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-slessor/the-secret-of-all-failure-is-disobedience/#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 } } ] } ```