---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're going to fail, make it…"
description: "\"“If you're going to fail, make it spectacular so you can become famous.”\" — Timothy Bax"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg"
---

#  If you're going to fail, make it spectacular so you can…

![“If you're going to fail, make it spectacular so you can become famous.” quote by Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg)

> ““If you're going to fail, make it spectacular so you can become famous.””

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

## About This Quote

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

Embrace failure boldly, turning it into a spectacular event that can lead to fame and learning.

**In simple terms:** Fail spectacularly to become famous.

Key Takeaway

Own your failures loudly.

Themes

risk failure celebration

Mood

adventurous defiant

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- entrepreneurship
- creative projects
- public performance
- media attention

Key Concepts

public spectacle learning from mistakes

Questions to Reflect On

- What risks are worth a bold failure?
- How can you manage the fallout?

A Different Perspective

Spectacular failure may attract negative backlash.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/)

## Related quotes

> [I think it's really challenging to capture a minute of something and make it spectacular, interesting and attention grabbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-strachan/i-think-it-s-really-challenging-to-capture-a-minute-of-something-and/)

[Michaela Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-strachan/)

> [If they are too big to fail, make them smaller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-shultz/if-they-are-too-big-to-fail-make-them-smaller/)

[George P. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-shultz/)

> [People who make decisions go to the top. Those who fail to make decisions go nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/people-who-make-decisions-go-to-the-top-those-who-fail-to-make/)

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

> [The minute you start calculating and trying to figure out what a huge audience is going to think, you're going to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-duffer/the-minute-you-start-calculating-and-trying-to-figure-out-what-a-huge/)

[Ross Duffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-duffer/)

> [My mantra is: Realize you're going to fail all the time, and accept it. That doesn't mean I'm not frightened of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/my-mantra-is-realize-you-re-going-to-fail-all-the-time-and-accept-it/)

[Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/)

> [When you start very young and you start to work, you're going to fail. That's how you learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-tans/when-you-start-very-young-and-you-start-to-work-you-re-going-to-fail/)

[Gillian Tans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-tans/)

> [You keep on going if you fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ramsey/you-keep-on-going-if-you-fail/)

[Laura Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ramsey/)

> [You have to be able to be a good loser. You have to be okay knowing you're going to fail every day in something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-o-brien/you-have-to-be-able-to-be-a-good-loser-you-have-to-be-okay-knowing/)

[Dan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-o-brien/)

> [We all have to decide how we are going to fail, by not going far enough or by going too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sumner-redstone/we-all-have-to-decide-how-we-are-going-to-fail-by-not-going-far/)

[Sumner Redstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sumner-redstone/)

> [At some point, we all have to decide how we are going to fail: by not going far enough, or by going too far.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-rubin/at-some-point-we-all-have-to-decide-how-we-are-going-to-fail-by-not/)

[Harriet Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-rubin/)

> [I don't believe in a price on carbon, because the government is going to control it and they're going to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-don-t-believe-in-a-price-on-carbon-because-the-government-is-going/)

[T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/)

> [Without the right attitude, a business with everything going for it will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-heller/without-the-right-attitude-a-business-with-everything-going-for-it/)

[Robert Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-heller/)

> [I'm just not willing to give up on myself. If I'm going to fail, then I want to fail to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/i-m-just-not-willing-to-give-up-on-myself-if-i-m-going-to-fail-then-i/)

[James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/)

> [It isn't that every company is going to be successful. The law of averages shows that 80% of companies are going to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-carter/it-isn-t-that-every-company-is-going-to-be-successful-the-law-of/)

[Troy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-carter/)

> [If you know you are going to fail, then fail gloriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/if-you-know-you-are-going-to-fail-then-fail-gloriously/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

## More by Timothy Bax

> [“It's not where the dogs bark that danger lurks. It's from the silence of the shadows where you hear no bark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/it-s-not-where-the-dogs-bark-that-danger-lurks-it-s-from-the-silence/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“A dove will only feed from one who is patient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/a-dove-will-only-feed-from-one-who-is-patient/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“Learn from your elders, for they have walked where you have yet to walk, have seen what you have yet to see, have learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/learn-from-your-elders-for-they-have-walked-where-you-have-yet-to/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“Do not be deviated from your journey by the chatter of monkeys”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/do-not-be-deviated-from-your-journey-by-the-chatter-of-monkeys/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“Better to hunt for the leopard than have the leopard hunt for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/better-to-hunt-for-the-leopard-than-have-the-leopard-hunt-for-you/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“There are many warnings before the storm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/there-are-many-warnings-before-the-storm/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“You cannot live in peace with others if you cannot live in peace with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/you-cannot-live-in-peace-with-others-if-you-cannot-live-in-peace-with/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“You need only light your lantern to dispel the fears of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/you-need-only-light-your-lantern-to-dispel-the-fears-of-the-night/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“To criticize is to be despised. To counsel is to be revered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/to-criticize-is-to-be-despised-to-counsel-is-to-be-revered/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“The lion is not easily distracted by the mindless chatter of monkeys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/the-lion-is-not-easily-distracted-by-the-mindless-chatter-of-monkeys/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“Wisdom can be offered only by those from whom wisdom flows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/wisdom-can-be-offered-only-by-those-from-whom-wisdom-flows/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“Yesterday is washed away. It no longer belongs to us. With it are washed any fears and sorrow that might have accompanied it. Today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/yesterday-is-washed-away-it-no-longer-belongs-to-us-with-it-are/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“When the pupil is ready the teacher will arrive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/when-the-pupil-is-ready-the-teacher-will-arrive/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“Cast not a stranger from the warmth of your fire You too may be a stranger some day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/cast-not-a-stranger-from-the-warmth-of-your-fire-you-too-may-be-a/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

> [“The jungle does not distinguish between rich or poor, pauper or prince. It cares not who or what you are, or even that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/the-jungle-does-not-distinguish-between-rich-or-poor-pauper-or-prince/)

[Timothy Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

[Explore all 39 Timothy Bax quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/)

## More Fail quotes

> [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/)

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

> [Would you like a side of epic with that fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabi/would-you-like-a-side-of-epic-with-that-fail/)

[Gabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabi/)

> [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [My willingness to fail gives me the ability to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinod-khosla/my-willingness-to-fail-gives-me-the-ability-to-succeed/)

[Vinod Khosla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinod-khosla/)

> [If you have a good idea you must explain it or you will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-have-a-good-idea-you-must-explain-it-or-you-will-fail/)

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

> [We can't afford any president to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/we-can-t-afford-any-president-to-fail/)

[Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/)

> [What I want is to be willing to fail rather than stagnate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/what-i-want-is-to-be-willing-to-fail-rather-than-stagnate/)

[James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/)

> [“If you die, I will find you. I will never leave you. I will never let you go. I will not let you fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/if-you-die-i-will-find-you-i-will-never-leave-you-i-will-never-let/)

[Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/)

> [“The worst outcome of not trying is never getting to fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-gary-smith/the-worst-outcome-of-not-trying-is-never-getting-to-fail/)

[Phillip Gary Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-gary-smith/)

> [“Many people fail in their career, business and relationship, and others get stuck because of their inability to make quality decisions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkem-mpamah/many-people-fail-in-their-career-business-and-relationship-and-others/)

[Nkem Mpamah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkem-mpamah/)

> [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [This is my most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/this-is-my-most-important-role-if-i-fail-at-this-i-fail-at-everything/)

[Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/)

> [Sunscreen is something that I think a lot of people fail to incorporate into their beauty routines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zegler/sunscreen-is-something-that-i-think-a-lot-of-people-fail-to/)

[Rachel Zegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zegler/)

> [Never give up on something just because you think you might fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-lee-reed-jr/never-give-up-on-something-just-because-you-think-you-might-fail/)

Jimmy Lee Reed Jr

> [The main thing that endears the United Nations to member governments, and so enables it to survive, is its proven capacity to fail, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-cruise-o-brien/the-main-thing-that-endears-the-united-nations-to-member-governments/)

[Conor Cruise O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-cruise-o-brien/)

Browse all 2,202 Fail quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If you're going to fail, make it spectacular so you can become famous.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Timothy Bax"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacular-so-you-can-become-famous/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fail"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacular-so-you-can-become-famous/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f5/timothy-bax-16757_fail_if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacu_3083562.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you're going to fail, make it spectacular so you can become famous.” — Timothy Bax",
                "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": "Timothy Bax",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-bax/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If you're going to fail, make...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacular-so-you-can-become-famous/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-bax/if-you-re-going-to-fail-make-it-spectacular-so-you-can-become-famous/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
