--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a common mistake to think of…" description: "\"It is a common mistake to think of failure as the enemy of success. Failure is a teacher-a harsh one, but the best. Pull your failures to pieces lookin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/229/thomas-j-watson-22867_common_it-is-a-common-mistake-to-think-of-failu_439392.png" --- # It is a common mistake to think of failure as the enemy of… ![“It is a common mistake to think of failure as the enemy of success. Failure is a teacher-a harsh one, but the best. Pull your failures to pieces looking for the reason. Put your failure to work for you.” quote by Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/229/thomas-j-watson-22867_common_it-is-a-common-mistake-to-think-of-failu_439392.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/229/thomas-j-watson-22867_common_it-is-a-common-mistake-to-think-of-failu_439392.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/229/thomas-j-watson-22867_common_it-is-a-common-mistake-to-think-of-failu_439392.png) > “It is a common mistake to think of failure as the enemy of success. Failure is a teacher-a harsh one, but the best. Pull your failures to pieces looking for the reason. Put your failure to work for you.” [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Failure should be dissected and used as a learning tool rather than feared as an obstacle. **In simple terms:** Failure teaches valuable lessons. Key Takeaway Analyze failures to improve. Themes learning resilience growth Mood determined inspired Type motivational practical When to use this quote - business projects - personal goals - academic research - creative endeavors Key Concepts feedback loops mindset Questions to Reflect On - What patterns emerge from your failures? - How can you balance analysis with action? A Different Perspective Failure analysis can be emotionally taxing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-enemy-3856495/) [Failure Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-teacher-250476/) [Failure Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-work-514827/) [Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success / failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-failure-2/) [Success Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-failure/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Think Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-failure/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“You’re thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-gordon/you-re-thinking-of-failure-as-the-enemy-of-success-but-it-isn-t-at/) [Arthur Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-gordon/) > [The difference between success and failure is work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hyles/the-difference-between-success-and-failure-is-work/) [Jack Hyles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hyles/) > [Failure is a teacher; a harsh one, but the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/failure-is-a-teacher-a-harsh-one-but-the-best/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [“You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn't at all. You can be discouraged by failure-or you can learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/you-are-thinking-of-failure-as-the-enemy-of-success-but-it-isn-t-at/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“Failure is your only enemy. The only way up is to never look down. We succeed because we believe. How much wood would a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/failure-is-your-only-enemy-the-only-way-up-is-to-never-look-down-we/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [For me, the greatest hurdle to success has always been failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/for-me-the-greatest-hurdle-to-success-has-always-been-failure/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [BE CAREFUL THERE IS NO MUCH DISTANCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelius-ibiolorundun/be-careful-there-is-no-much-distance-between-success-and-failure/) [CORNELIUS IBIOLORUNDUN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelius-ibiolorundun/) > [A label is a mask life wears. We put labels on life all the time. 'Right,' 'wrong,' 'success,' 'failure,' . . . Labeling sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/a-label-is-a-mask-life-wears-we-put-labels-on-life-all-the-time-right/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [The key to success is failure… Success is made of 99 percent failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dyson/the-key-to-success-is-failure-success-is-made-of-99-percent-failure/) [James Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dyson/) > [Children of the middle years do not do their learning unaffected by attendant feelings of interest, boredom, success, failure, chagrin, joy, humiliation, pleasure, distress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-h-cohen/children-of-the-middle-years-do-not-do-their-learning-unaffected-by/) [Dorothy H Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-h-cohen/) > [Now one does not think during creative work: any more than one thinks when driving a car. One has a background of years —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/now-one-does-not-think-during-creative-work-any-more-than-one-thinks/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [Addiction is a very compelling subject for literature - especially now that it's nearly impossible to come out of adult experience without some addiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porochista-khakpour/addiction-is-a-very-compelling-subject-for-literature-especially-now/) [Porochista Khakpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porochista-khakpour/) > [Whatever your plan, you never invest your own self-worth in its ultimate success or failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/whatever-your-plan-you-never-invest-your-own-self-worth-in-its/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Well, I think that there's a very thin dividing line between success and failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/well-i-think-that-there-s-a-very-thin-dividing-line-between-success/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Failure is not the absence of success. Failure is the neglect of trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-munroe/failure-is-not-the-absence-of-success-failure-is-the-neglect-of-trying/) [Myles Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-munroe/) ## More by Thomas J. Watson > [All the problems of the world could be settled easily if men were only willing to think. The trouble is that men very often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/all-the-problems-of-the-world-could-be-settled-easily-if-men-were/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/whenever-an-individual-or-a-business-decides-that-success-has-been/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [You don't hear things that are bad about your company unless you ask. It is easy to hear good tidings, but you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/you-don-t-hear-things-that-are-bad-about-your-company-unless-you-ask/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [It was courage, faith, endurance and a dogged determination to surmount all obstacles that built this bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/it-was-courage-faith-endurance-and-a-dogged-determination-to-surmount/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Design must reflect the practical and aesthetic in business but above all... good design must primarily serve people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/design-must-reflect-the-practical-and-aesthetic-in-business-but-above/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Treat each case as an individual case, and give every man an opportunity to earn just as much money as he is capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/treat-each-case-as-an-individual-case-and-give-every-man-an/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [When asked how to achieve success more rapidly, came the quick reply, 'Double your failure rate'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/when-asked-how-to-achieve-success-more-rapidly-came-the-quick-reply/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Really big people are, above everything else, courteous, considerate and generous - not just to some people in some circumstances - but to everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/really-big-people-are-above-everything-else-courteous-considerate-and/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [The best way to supervise your men is from their reports that they make out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/the-best-way-to-supervise-your-men-is-from-their-reports-that-they/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/wisdom-is-the-power-to-put-our-time-and-our-knowledge-to-the-proper/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/follow-the-path-of-the-unsafe-independent-thinker-expose-your-ideas-2/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Success is on the far side of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/success-is-on-the-far-side-of-failure/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [A manager is an assistant to his men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/a-manager-is-an-assistant-to-his-men/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [Failure is a teacher; a harsh one, but the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/failure-is-a-teacher-a-harsh-one-but-the-best/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) > [The toughest thing about the power of trust is that it's very difficult to build and very easy to destroy. The essence of trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-watson/the-toughest-thing-about-the-power-of-trust-is-that-it-s-very/) [Thomas J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) [Explore all 26 Thomas J. Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-watson/) ## More Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Browse all 7,866 Common quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a common mistake to think of failure as the enemy of success. 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