--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you can accept failure, you can have…" description: "\"Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success.\" — Rickey Henderson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg" --- # Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success. ![“Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success.” quote by Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg) > “Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success.” [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting failure frees you to enjoy the process, increasing chances of eventual success. **In simple terms:** Failure acceptance leads to fun and success. Key Takeaway Embrace failure to improve. Themes failure growth mindset resilience joy Mood motivational optimistic Type sports self‑help When to use this quote - sports training - entrepreneurship - creative projects - personal development - teaching Key Concepts learning theory psychology of success risk taking Questions to Reflect On - How do you turn failure into fun? - What steps turn setbacks into success? A Different Perspective Fear of failure can still inhibit action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [“Pushing myself, I knew, would cause me serious discomfort. It's a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy. When I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/pushing-myself-i-knew-would-cause-me-serious-discomfort-it-s-a-secret/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I kind of pride myself on coming onto things that are well-oiled machines and finding a way to bring what I bring and fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-kind-of-pride-myself-on-coming-onto-things-that-are-well-oiled/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [Failure is not fun. It can be awful. But living so cautiously that you never fail is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/failure-is-not-fun-it-can-be-awful-but-living-so-cautiously-that-you/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [It's a lonely road for those of us who choose to be remarkable, and the path of convention can sometimes be appealing. That path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-guillebeau/it-s-a-lonely-road-for-those-of-us-who-choose-to-be-remarkable-and/) [Chris Guillebeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-guillebeau/) > [I enjoy the fun of failure. It's fun to fail, I kept repeating. It's part of being ambitious; it's part of being creative. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-enjoy-the-fun-of-failure-it-s-fun-to-fail-i-kept-repeating-it-s/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [The risk of failure is part of the fun of what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/the-risk-of-failure-is-part-of-the-fun-of-what-i-do/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Accept your failure, move on, and don't torture yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/accept-your-failure-move-on-and-don-t-torture-yourself/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [What America does best is produce the ability to accept failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/what-america-does-best-is-produce-the-ability-to-accept-failure/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“I can accept failure but cannot accept trying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-can-accept-failure-but-cannot-accept-trying/) [Michael jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [It is difficult to accept failure when you are a student. It is also difficult to succeed because everyone is so competitive!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suhasini-maniratnam/it-is-difficult-to-accept-failure-when-you-are-a-student-it-is-also/) [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suhasini-maniratnam/) > [You can't have any successes unless you can accept failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/you-can-t-have-any-successes-unless-you-can-accept-failure/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) > [One should accept failure, and be willing to learn, unlearn and relearn again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh-agarwal/one-should-accept-failure-and-be-willing-to-learn-unlearn-and-relearn/) [Ritesh Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritesh-agarwal/) > [You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don't win, at least you can be satisfied that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalynn-carter/you-must-accept-that-you-might-fail-then-if-you-do-your-best-and/) [Rosalynn Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalynn-carter/) > [“It used to be I would worry I shouldn't have fun and be happy until I had proven I wasn't a failure. Now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolph-delson/it-used-to-be-i-would-worry-i-shouldn-t-have-fun-and-be-happy-until-i/) Rudolph Delson > [I can accept failure everyone fails at something but what I can't accept is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-can-accept-failure-everyone-fails-at-something-but-what-i-can-t/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) ## More by Rickey Henderson > [I have to play baseball to make me happy. I have to be an athlete. But when it's all said and done, I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/i-have-to-play-baseball-to-make-me-happy-i-have-to-be-an-athlete-but/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [I don't think I could have dreamt it up any better than how things went, of being at my peak at just the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/i-don-t-think-i-could-have-dreamt-it-up-any-better-than-how-things/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [The only name on my birth certificate was Henley, no first name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/the-only-name-on-my-birth-certificate-was-henley-no-first-name/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [Listen: People are always saying, 'Rickey says Rickey.' But it's been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/listen-people-are-always-saying-rickey-says-rickey-but-it-s-been/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [It's always exciting that you can rub elbows with some of the greatest players who have ever played the game, and just being around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/it-s-always-exciting-that-you-can-rub-elbows-with-some-of-the/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [My dream was to play football for the Oakland Raiders. But my mother thought I would get hurt playing football, so she chose baseball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/my-dream-was-to-play-football-for-the-oakland-raiders-but-my-mother/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [Even the slowest guy can go from first to third and help win a ballgame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/even-the-slowest-guy-can-go-from-first-to-third-and-help-win-a/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [When you're a kid, you want to be a millionaire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/when-you-re-a-kid-you-want-to-be-a-millionaire/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [I love talking about baserunning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/i-love-talking-about-baserunning/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [If you look at some of the people in the Hall of Fame, my numbers are compatible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/if-you-look-at-some-of-the-people-in-the-hall-of-fame-my-numbers-are/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [This is Rickey calling on behalf of Rickey. Rickey wants to play baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/this-is-rickey-calling-on-behalf-of-rickey-rickey-wants-to-play/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [My journey as a player is complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/my-journey-as-a-player-is-complete/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [I can't find a job. It makes me crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/i-can-t-find-a-job-it-makes-me-crazy/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [Nothing's impossible for Rickey. You don't have enough fingers and toes to count out Rickey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/nothing-s-impossible-for-rickey-you-don-t-have-enough-fingers-and/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [People always ask me why I still want to play, but I want to know why no one will give me an opportunity. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/people-always-ask-me-why-i-still-want-to-play-but-i-want-to-know-why/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) [Explore all 66 Rickey Henderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) ## More Accept quotes > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [The fans can accept a poor performance, but they won't take it when you choose not to put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/the-fans-can-accept-a-poor-performance-but-they-won-t-take-it-when/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [“See, I know what they think about me. That I’m some project. And, yeah, I’ll accept their help. But I’m gonna pay my way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-eagar/see-i-know-what-they-think-about-me-that-i-m-some-project-and-yeah-i/) [Kirsty Eagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-eagar/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [It's very important to me that people accept me as a transgendered female. But it's ridiculous to a lot of people and I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-arquette/it-s-very-important-to-me-that-people-accept-me-as-a-transgendered/) [Alexis Arquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-arquette/) > [I've always taken care of myself, and I'm a non-conformist, so I don't accept the negativity that comes with birthdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/i-ve-always-taken-care-of-myself-and-i-m-a-non-conformist-so-i-don-t/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Not harder than it should be, no. We're about the business, we're about the work. It's all about the work, always. We have fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-fuqua/not-harder-than-it-should-be-no-we-re-about-the-business-we-re-about/) [Antoine Fuqua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-fuqua/) > [I wish I could just accept that I'm not that good and not be shy about the fact that I'm not that professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gainsbourg/i-wish-i-could-just-accept-that-i-m-not-that-good-and-not-be-shy/) [Charlotte Gainsbourg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gainsbourg/) > [I cannot accept being silent in the face of injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-crockett/i-cannot-accept-being-silent-in-the-face-of-injustice/) [Jasmine Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-crockett/) > [“I hope there is less stigma and judgment against working moms and childless career women. All should be acceptable positions and society should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-heng-chee/i-hope-there-is-less-stigma-and-judgment-against-working-moms-and/) Chan Heng Chee > [“Of course I can accept you for who you are. You are someone I need to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-glasbergen/of-course-i-can-accept-you-for-who-you-are-you-are-someone-i-need-to/) [Randy Glasbergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-glasbergen/) > [I can't be that kind of person others want me to be.I know I can't please everybody for just being me But I'm glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/i-can-t-be-that-kind-of-person-others-want-me-to-be-i-know-i-can-t/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [I don't care who you are,Where you from,As long as you love me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mks-vibz/i-don-t-care-who-you-are-where-you-from-as-long-as-you-love-me/) [Mks Vibz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mks-vibz/) Browse all 2,963 Accept quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rickey Henderson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have-fun-and-success/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accept" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have-fun-and-success/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/rickey-henderson-10286_accept_once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have_1222738.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Once you can accept failure, you can have fun and success.” — Rickey Henderson", "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": "Rickey Henderson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Once you can accept failure, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have-fun-and-success/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/once-you-can-accept-failure-you-can-have-fun-and-success/#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 } } ] } ```