Failure Quote by Stephen J. Dubner
“We've been conditioned to think that quitting is a failure, a form of failure. How do we know that that's true?”
About This Quote
Source Podcast: Freakonomics Radio, Episode 123, 2020
Societal norms label quitting as failure, but this belief is questioned, urging reconsideration of what constitutes success.
In simple terms: Quitting isn’t always failure; it can be strategic.
Key Takeaway
Reevaluate when quitting serves a larger goal.
Themes
failure
culture
success
decision‑making
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- career changes
- entrepreneurship
- personal health
- education
Key Concepts
behavioral economics
psychology
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- When is quitting a smarter choice?
- How does fear of failure influence decisions?
A Different Perspective
Quitting may be seen as lack of perseverance.
![“I got this big fear of doing smoking jokes in my act and showing up five years from now goin' [puts mic to his neck and speaks as if he had a mechanical larynx] 'good evening everybody, remember me, smoking's bad. [puts cigarette to neck and mimics smoking it] Eeww. You ever seen somebody do that?…” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8be/bill-hicks-970_bigs_i-got-this-big-fear-of-doing-smoking-jok_612628.jpg)
