--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are twelve good reasons for…" description: "\"There are twelve good reasons for failure. The first one is the avowed intention of doing no more than one is paid to do, and the person who makes this..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/napoleon-hill-201_eleven_there-are-twelve-good-reasons-for-failur_2321063.jpg" --- # There are twelve good reasons for failure. The first one… ![“There are twelve good reasons for failure. The first one is the avowed intention of doing no more than one is paid to do, and the person who makes this avowal may see the other eleven by stepping before a looking glass.” quote by Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/napoleon-hill-201_eleven_there-are-twelve-good-reasons-for-failur_2321063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/napoleon-hill-201_eleven_there-are-twelve-good-reasons-for-failur_2321063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc0/napoleon-hill-201_eleven_there-are-twelve-good-reasons-for-failur_2321063.jpg) > “There are twelve good reasons for failure. The first one is the avowed intention of doing no more than one is paid to do, and the person who makes this avowal may see the other eleven by stepping before a looking glass.” [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure can stem from limiting oneself to only the paid duties, ignoring broader opportunities that reveal many more reasons to fail. **In simple terms:** Doing only what's required limits growth. Key Takeaway Expand beyond the minimum. Themes failure ambition self‑limitation Mood cautious motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - entrepreneurial ventures - personal development workshops - coaching sessions Key Concepts psychology goal setting self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What hidden opportunities are you overlooking? - How can you balance duty with growth? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on security can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eleven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleven/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Avowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-avowed-5548579/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Glasses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glasses/) [Good Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-reasons/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Intention Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention-doing-1097979/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons/) [Reasons Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasons-failure-3361510/) [Twelve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twelve/) ## Related quotes > [In art intentions are not sufficient and, as we say in Spanish, love must be proved by deeds and not by reasons. What one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/in-art-intentions-are-not-sufficient-and-as-we-say-in-spanish-love/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I start the day with the intention of doing 4,000 sit-ups but then have to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-start-the-day-with-the-intention-of-doing-4-000-sit-ups-but-then/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [What one does is what counts. Not what one had the intention of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/what-one-does-is-what-counts-not-what-one-had-the-intention-of-doing/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [As long as you're being honest and there's intention in what you're doing, then I think that energy permeates your field and becomes like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sza/as-long-as-you-re-being-honest-and-there-s-intention-in-what-you-re/) [SZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sza/) > [No matter how well-meaning your intention, doing too much is not always an act of love but of sabotage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/no-matter-how-well-meaning-your-intention-doing-too-much-is-not/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [“The reasons for the failure of the Leninist economic model have been studied thoroughly and in the case of North Korea they were essentially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-lankov/the-reasons-for-the-failure-of-the-leninist-economic-model-have-been/) [Andrei Lankov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-lankov/) > [In all these cases, part of the reasons for failure perhaps was not analyzing and assessing the true nature of the crisis, the resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/in-all-these-cases-part-of-the-reasons-for-failure-perhaps-was-not/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Eighty-five percent of the reasons for failure are deficiencies in the systems and process rather than the employee. The role of management is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/eighty-five-percent-of-the-reasons-for-failure-are-deficiencies-in/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [When new pages are sent to editors and see rejection, we should ask for the reasons. We must study the reasons for failure and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giraud/when-new-pages-are-sent-to-editors-and-see-rejection-we-should-ask/) [Jean Giraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giraud/) > [“If you fail, let the world knows the reasons of your failure; if you win, let the world knows the secrets of your victory!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-fail-let-the-world-knows-the-reasons-of-your-failure-if-you/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We have forty million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/we-have-forty-million-reasons-for-failure-but-not-a-single-excuse/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [The very reasons sometimes that you make a film are the reasons for its failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/the-very-reasons-sometimes-that-you-make-a-film-are-the-reasons-for/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [I've dealt with numbers all my life, of course, and after a while you begin to feel that each number has a personality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-ve-dealt-with-numbers-all-my-life-of-course-and-after-a-while-you/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [If the wind is blowing like stink and everything is working right, a twelve-meter sailboat can go eleven and a half or twelve miles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/if-the-wind-is-blowing-like-stink-and-everything-is-working-right-a/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I never read the "Bobbsey Twins" or "Boxcar Children."But I did remember being downtown, at the bookstore by myself and having an allowance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/i-never-read-the-bobbsey-twins-or-boxcar-children-but-i-did-remember/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) ## More by Napoleon Hill > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The mind requires regular use to remain strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-requires-regular-use-to-remain-strong/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/tell-the-world-what-you-intend-to-do-but-first-show-it-this/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You become what you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-become-what-you-think-about/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Every man's own character is written so all who will may read it, in the expression of his eyes, the tone of his voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-man-s-own-character-is-written-so-all-who-will-may-read-it-in/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/life-is-a-mirror-of-your-consistent-thoughts/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-requires-no-explanations-failure-permits-no-alibis/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/there-are-no-limitations-to-the-mind-except-those-that-we-acknowledge/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Explore all 928 Napoleon Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More Eleven quotes > [As a little boy of eleven I entered the Cadet Corps. I was not particularly eager to become a Cadet, but my father wished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manfred-von-richthofen/as-a-little-boy-of-eleven-i-entered-the-cadet-corps-i-was-not/) [Manfred von Richthofen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manfred-von-richthofen/) > [Las Vegas is a resort whose two chief sources of income are seven and eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/las-vegas-is-a-resort-whose-two-chief-sources-of-income-are-seven-and/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [People kept asking, 'What's your market?' I've got no idea at all other than me, an eleven year old kid in a 56-year-old body.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-base/people-kept-asking-what-s-your-market-i-ve-got-no-idea-at-all-other/) [Graeme Base](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-base/) > [I've been in eleven no-hitters you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-campaneris/i-ve-been-in-eleven-no-hitters-you-know/) [Bert Campaneris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-campaneris/) > [The man in the coon skin cap in the pig pen wants eleven dollar bills, you've only got ten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-man-in-the-coon-skin-cap-in-the-pig-pen-wants-eleven-dollar-bills/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Still, waking up this early was just wrong. “Why can’t people be reasonable and only die after eleven A.M.?” I whined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-rowland/still-waking-up-this-early-was-just-wrong-why-can-t-people-be/) [Diana Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-rowland/) > [The Baron, unfortunately, turns it all the way up to eleven." "Seriously? Because, you know, that's one more evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/the-baron-unfortunately-turns-it-all-the-way-up-to-eleven-seriously/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [The ten hottest years in the atmospheric record, going back only 160 years, have been in the last eleven years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/the-ten-hottest-years-in-the-atmospheric-record-going-back-only-160/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Until the Nineteen-Eighties, when Deng Xiaoping designated the area as China's first special economic zone, Shenzhen had been a tiny fishing village. Suddenly, eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-specter/until-the-nineteen-eighties-when-deng-xiaoping-designated-the-area-as/) [Michael Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-specter/) > [I love playing Eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bobby-brown/i-love-playing-eleven/) [Millie Bobby Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bobby-brown/) > [Possession is eleven points in the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/possession-is-eleven-points-in-the-law/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [As for poker, I've stayed away from that, even though when I was in Vegas for Ocean's Eleven, I would get accosted by these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-for-poker-i-ve-stayed-away-from-that-even-though-when-i-was-in/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [I was brought up in the kind of Catholic situation up until I was about eleven years old, which was that God is this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/i-was-brought-up-in-the-kind-of-catholic-situation-up-until-i-was/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [ I met one child there eleven years old, speaking three languages \[in Guinea\]. He could speak English, French and Malinke. Speaking my language actually… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/i-met-one-child-there-eleven-years-old-speaking-three-languages-in/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [I am in Paris. Yes ma'am , I made it back. I came up from Berlin, stopped here ten days, fought a losing battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/i-am-in-paris-yes-ma-am-i-made-it-back-i-came-up-from-berlin-stopped/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) [Browse all 387 Eleven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleven/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are twelve good reasons for failure. 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