---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Winning is better than losing, but…"
description: "\"“Winning is better than losing, but everybody loses when the war isn't one worth fighting.”\" — Peter Thiel"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png"
---

#  Winning is better than losing, but everybody loses when…

![“Winning is better than losing, but everybody loses when the war isn't one worth fighting.” quote by Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png)

> ““Winning is better than losing, but everybody loses when the war isn't one worth fighting.””

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

## About This Quote

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

Winning is valued, yet wars without worthy causes cause universal loss, questioning purpose of conflict.

**In simple terms:** Winning matters, but pointless wars hurt everyone.

Key Takeaway

Assess the purpose before engaging in conflict.

Themes

war ethics purpose

Mood

critical reflective

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- military decisions
- business competition
- personal goals
- social movements

Key Concepts

philosophy strategic thinking

Questions to Reflect On

- What defines a war worth fighting?
- How to recognize futile struggles?

A Different Perspective

Not all conflicts are clearly defined as just.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Better Losing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-losing-1479299/) [Everybody Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-loses-1186567/) [Loses War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses-war-2011535/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Winning Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning-better-1563552/) [Worth Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-fighting-252585/)

## Related quotes

> [“everybody loses when the war isn’t one worth fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/everybody-loses-when-the-war-isn-t-one-worth-fighting/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [War is not something that can be won. Everybody loses at war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-duley/war-is-not-something-that-can-be-won-everybody-loses-at-war/)

[Giles Duley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-duley/)

> [“Regardless of sex, everyone loses something in a war... but the first casualty is always the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/regardless-of-sex-everyone-loses-something-in-a-war-but-the-first/)

[Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/)

> [If you want to keep winning, you better bring you're 'A' game. You throw the records out. If you are playing your cousin's sister,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-posey/if-you-want-to-keep-winning-you-better-bring-you-re-a-game-you-throw/)

[Terry Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-posey/)

> [“A Private who loses his rifle suffers greater consequences than a General who loses a war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lt-col-yingling/a-private-who-loses-his-rifle-suffers-greater-consequences-than-a/)

[Lt. Col. Yingling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lt-col-yingling/)

> [...a private who loses a rifle suffers far greater consequences than a general who loses a war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-yingling/a-private-who-loses-a-rifle-suffers-far-greater-consequences-than-a/)

[Paul Yingling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-yingling/)

> [The biggest thing I learned from losing? Winning's better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/the-biggest-thing-i-learned-from-losing-winning-s-better/)

[Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/)

> [We often know only one version of the story... the version portrayed by the person who wins a war and lives to tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/puneet-issar/we-often-know-only-one-version-of-the-story-the-version-portrayed-by/)

[Puneet Issar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/puneet-issar/)

> [I've learned what it feels like to lose, believe me. But I think, in the end, that is just going to make winning that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-ve-learned-what-it-feels-like-to-lose-believe-me-but-i-think-in-the/)

[Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/)

> [Chase Elliott winning is better for our sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-harvick/chase-elliott-winning-is-better-for-our-sport/)

[Kevin Harvick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-harvick/)

> [“Of course, winning is much better than losing. No argument there. But winning or losing doesn’t affect the weight and value of the time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/of-course-winning-is-much-better-than-losing-no-argument-there-but/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [Ive learned what it feels like to lose, believe me. But I think, in the end, that is just going to make winning that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/ive-learned-what-it-feels-like-to-lose-believe-me-but-i-think-in-the/)

[Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/)

> [Everybody loses a couple, and you either pack it up and go home or you keep on fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/everybody-loses-a-couple-and-you-either-pack-it-up-and-go-home-or-you/)

[Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/)

> [Instead of playing the game "Making Life Wonderful", we often play the game called "Who's Right". Do you know that game? It's a game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/instead-of-playing-the-game-making-life-wonderful-we-often-play-the/)

[Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/)

> [Everybody loses the thing that made them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quvenzhane-wallis/everybody-loses-the-thing-that-made-them/)

[Quvenzhane Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quvenzhane-wallis/)

## More by Peter Thiel

> [People don't want to believe that technology is broken. Pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology - all these areas where the progress has been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/people-don-t-want-to-believe-that-technology-is-broken/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [If you think about basic science or coming up with new theories of mathematics, these are not the kinds of things which are necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-think-about-basic-science-or-coming-up-with-new-theories-of/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [I think we have a bubble in the US in government bonds, because of the quantitative easing and the negative real interest rates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/i-think-we-have-a-bubble-in-the-us-in-government-bonds-because-of-the/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“Time and decision-making themselves follow a power law, and some moments matter far more than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/time-and-decision-making-themselves-follow-a-power-law-and-some/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“Today, we exaggerate the differences between left-liberal egalitarianism and libertarian individualism because almost everyone shares their common indefinite attitude. In philosophy, politics, and business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-we-exaggerate-the-differences-between-left-liberal/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [When you already have $150 billion a year in revenues from the iPhone, it's very hard to come up with any new vertical that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/when-you-already-have-150-billion-a-year-in-revenues-from-the-iphone/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“CREATIVE MONOPOLY means new products that benefit everybody and sustainable profits for the creator. Competition means no profits for anybody, no meaningful differentiation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/creative-monopoly-means-new-products-that-benefit-everybody-and/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“we have given up our sense of wonder at secrets left to be discovered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/we-have-given-up-our-sense-of-wonder-at-secrets-left-to-be-discovered/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“Today our society is permeated by the twin ideas that death is both inevitable and random.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-our-society-is-permeated-by-the-twin-ideas-that-death-is-both/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“if your company can be summed up by its opposition to already existing firms, it can’t be completely new and it’s probably not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-your-company-can-be-summed-up-by-its-opposition-to-already/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“Is a lukewarm attitude to one’s work a sign of mental health? Is a merely professional attitude the only sane approach?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/is-a-lukewarm-attitude-to-one-s-work-a-sign-of-mental-health-is-a/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [“If you’ve invented something new but you haven’t invented an effective way to sell it, you have a bad business—no matter how good the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-ve-invented-something-new-but-you-haven-t-invented-an/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [The business model piece is we're always talking about competing more effectively. If you're starting a company or career you don't want to compete.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/the-business-model-piece-is-we-re-always-talking-about-competing-more/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [If you invest in Microsoft or Oracle, or a number of other companies for that matter, you're fundamentally making a bet that there's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-invest-in-microsoft-or-oracle-or-a-number-of-other-companies/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

> [Our economy is broken. I'm not a politician, but neither is Donald Trump. He is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/our-economy-is-broken-i-m-not-a-politician-but-neither-is-donald/)

[Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

[Explore all 257 Peter Thiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/)

## More Peace quotes

> [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/)

[W.J. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-turner/)

> [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/)

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

> [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/)

[Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/)

> [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/)

[Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/)

> [“There is no fortune greater than peace; there is no force greater than peace; there is no excellent tapas greater than peace; there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muruganar/there-is-no-fortune-greater-than-peace-there-is-no-force-greater-than/)

[Muruganar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muruganar/)

> [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/)

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

> [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/)

[Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/)

> [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/)

[William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/)

> [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/)

[Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/)

> [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/)

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

[Browse all 27,655 Peace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Winning is better than losing, but everybody loses when the war isn't one worth fighting.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Peter Thiel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everybody-loses-when-the-war-isn-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Peace"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everybody-loses-when-the-war-isn-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/peter-thiel-1311_peace_winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everyb_432298.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Winning is better than losing, but everybody loses when the war isn't one worth fighting.” — Peter Thiel",
                "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": "Peter Thiel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Winning is better than losing, but...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everybody-loses-when-the-war-isn-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/winning-is-better-than-losing-but-everybody-loses-when-the-war-isn-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
