--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest failure of man is that he…" description: "\"The biggest failure of man is that he gives up before he realizes how close he was to success.\" — Thomas A. Edison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/thomas-a-edison-866_failure_the-biggest-failure-of-man-is-that-he-gi_3225272.jpg" --- # The biggest failure of man is that he gives up before he… ![“The biggest failure of man is that he gives up before he realizes how close he was to success.” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/thomas-a-edison-866_failure_the-biggest-failure-of-man-is-that-he-gi_3225272.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/thomas-a-edison-866_failure_the-biggest-failure-of-man-is-that-he-gi_3225272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efd/thomas-a-edison-866_failure_the-biggest-failure-of-man-is-that-he-gi_3225272.jpg) > “The biggest failure of man is that he gives up before he realizes how close he was to success.” [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## 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 warns that people often quit before achieving success, not realizing how close they were. **In simple terms:** People quit too early, missing success. Key Takeaway Persist longer before giving up. Themes perseverance motivation failure Mood inspirational hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - academic research - personal goals Key Concepts growth mindset resilience self-efficacy Questions to Reflect On - When have you stopped too soon? - What signs indicate you’re near success? A Different Perspective Success may still be unattainable despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Realizes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizes/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-s-real-failure-is-when-you-do-not-realize-how-close-you-were-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“many people who failed did so because they gave up without realizing how close to success they were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/many-people-who-failed-did-so-because-they-gave-up-without-realizing/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [The thing about failure is that you never know how close you were to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-simo/the-thing-about-failure-is-that-you-never-know-how-close-you-were-to/) Brian Simo > [Many of lifes failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-lifes-failures-are-people-who-did-not-realize-how-close-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whenever I hear, 'It can't be done,' I know I'm close to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-flatley/whenever-i-hear-it-can-t-be-done-i-know-i-m-close-to-success/) [Michael Flatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-flatley/) > [Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-of-life-s-failures-are-people-who-did-not-realize-how-close-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Who realizes what? That is realization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-hari-dass/who-realizes-what-that-is-realization/) [Baba Hari Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-hari-dass/) > [“Once one realizes he's nothing, he understands he's something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hewitt-moore/once-one-realizes-he-s-nothing-he-understands-he-s-something/) Hewitt Moore > [One realizes after a long time that, actually, we are contradictory, all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/one-realizes-after-a-long-time-that-actually-we-are-contradictory-all/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [Be with someone who knows exactly what they have when they have you. Not someone who realizes it after they've lost you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-with-someone-who-knows-exactly-what-they-have-when-they-have-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The artist realizes himself in his work; the mind realizes itself in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asanaro/the-artist-realizes-himself-in-his-work-the-mind-realizes-itself-in/) Asanaro > [Nobody realizes how much I like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nobody-realizes-how-much-i-like-him/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He's gonna shit when he realizes it's shit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-madison/he-s-gonna-shit-when-he-realizes-it-s-shit/) [Billy Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-madison/) > [Music is the sole domain in which man realizes the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-stravinsky/music-is-the-sole-domain-in-which-man-realizes-the-present/) [Igor Stravinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-stravinsky/) > [Definitely My Realizes works After I Admit Mistakes !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandan-ray/definitely-my-realizes-works-after-i-admit-mistakes/) [Chandan Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandan-ray/) ## More by Thomas A. Edison > [We are striking it big in the electric light, better than my vivid imagination first conceived. Where this thing is going to stop Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/we-are-striking-it-big-in-the-electric-light-better-than-my-vivid/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-will-not-say-i-failed-1000-times-i-will-say-that-i-discovered-there/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Friendship is the heaven of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/friendship-is-the-heaven-of-life/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/being-busy-does-not-always-mean-real-work-the-object-of-all-work-is/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The very first thing an executive must have is a fine memory. Of course it does not follow that a man with a fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-very-first-thing-an-executive-must-have-is-a-fine-memory-of/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Personally, I enjoy working about 18 hours a day. Besides the short catnaps I take each day, I average about four to five hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/personally-i-enjoy-working-about-18-hours-a-day-besides-the-short/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The brain can be developed just the same as the muscles can be developed, if on will only take the pains to train the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-brain-can-be-developed-just-the-same-as-the-muscles-can-be/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“People who will not turn a shovel full of dirt on the project nor contribute a pound of material, will collect more money from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/people-who-will-not-turn-a-shovel-full-of-dirt-on-the-project-nor/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [When I have fully decided that a result is worth getting I go ahead of it and make trial after trial until it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/when-i-have-fully-decided-that-a-result-is-worth-getting-i-go-ahead/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was at the foot of the class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-remember-that-i-was-never-able-to-get-along-at-school-i-was-at-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/invention-is-10-inspiration-and-90-perspiration/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [There seems to be no limit to which some men will go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thinking is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-seems-to-be-no-limit-to-which-some-men-will-go-to-avoid-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Somewhere between the ages of eleven and fifteen, the average child begins to suffer from an atrophy, the paralysis of curiosity and the suspension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/somewhere-between-the-ages-of-eleven-and-fifteen-the-average-child/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Not only will atomic power be released, but someday we will harness the rise and fall of the tides and imprison the rays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/not-only-will-atomic-power-be-released-but-someday-we-will-harness/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) [Explore all 345 Thomas A. Edison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The biggest failure of man is that he gives up before he realizes how close he was to success.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas A. 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