Cunning Quote by Wallace Stegner
“Every time. You know why? I want to fail. I work like a dog for twenty years so I'll have the supreme pleasure of failing. Never knew anybody like that, did you? I'm very cunning. I plan it in advance. I fool myself right up to the last minute, and then the time comes and I know how cunningly I've been planning it all the time. I've been a failure all my life.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Spectator Bird, 1976
The narrator deliberately seeks failure as a way to experience control and self-awareness, turning self-sabotage into a twisted form of achievement.
In simple terms: Seeking failure to feel control
Key Takeaway
Embrace intentional challenges to learn limits
Themes
failure
control
self‑sabotage
Mood
confessional
introspective
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- career burnout
- creative risk
- personal growth
- self‑assessment
Key Concepts
Existentialism
psychology of ambition
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do you chase failure?
- What can you learn from intentional setbacks?
A Different Perspective
Failure may not lead to growth without reflection.
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