--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always say that failure was my friend…" description: "\"I always say that failure was my friend. I learned nothing at school, so I just lived in my own world.\" — Willard Wigan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/willard-wigan-22381_always_i-always-say-that-failure-was-my-friend_2283394.png" --- # I always say that failure was my friend. I learned nothing… ![“I always say that failure was my friend. I learned nothing at school, so I just lived in my own world.” quote by Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/willard-wigan-22381_always_i-always-say-that-failure-was-my-friend_2283394.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/willard-wigan-22381_always_i-always-say-that-failure-was-my-friend_2283394.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/willard-wigan-22381_always_i-always-say-that-failure-was-my-friend_2283394.png) > “I always say that failure was my friend. I learned nothing at school, so I just lived in my own world.” [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing failure as a companion turns setbacks into learning opportunities. **In simple terms:** Failure can be a teacher. Key Takeaway Embrace failure as a learning ally. Themes resilience learning mindset growth Mood thoughtful encouraging Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - academic setbacks - personal development - creative projects Key Concepts growth mindset self-compassion adaptability Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have you extracted from recent failures? - How can you reframe setbacks constructively? A Different Perspective Failure can be demotivating if not reframed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Failure Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure-friend-813060/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Learned School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-school-630636/) [Lived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived/) [My friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-friend/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-failure-2318842/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I learned nothing at school, so I just lived in my own world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/i-learned-nothing-at-school-so-i-just-lived-in-my-own-world/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [Success is a lousy teacher, but failure is a friend, philosopher, and guide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/success-is-a-lousy-teacher-but-failure-is-a-friend-philosopher-and/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) > [There's a general belief that failure is the friend of the innovator, but I've come to view it a different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/there-s-a-general-belief-that-failure-is-the-friend-of-the-innovator/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [“Failure is a friend if we can see past the face of the foe that we project on it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/failure-is-a-friend-if-we-can-see-past-the-face-of-the-foe-that-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“The ability to overcome failure—to live through it and move on—is crucial. If we are not willing to face failure—if we don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/the-ability-to-overcome-failure-to-live-through-it-and-move-on-is/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [I don't think I'd live anything over, even though I've made a lot of mistakes. I have learned how to see failure as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/i-don-t-think-i-d-live-anything-over-even-though-i-ve-made-a-lot-of/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [I feel guilty sometimes. It may be that innate English nature - the need to think that you must've done something wrong if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-lloyd/i-feel-guilty-sometimes-it-may-be-that-innate-english-nature-the-need/) [Emily Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-lloyd/) > [If you want to be rich, never give up. People tend to give up. If you have persistence, you will come out ahead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-belfort/if-you-want-to-be-rich-never-give-up-people-tend-to-give-up-if-you/) [Jordan Belfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-belfort/) > [There are moments in business and in life when you have to say, "Failure is not an option."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-deutsch/there-are-moments-in-business-and-in-life-when-you-have-to-say/) [Donny Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-deutsch/) > [As I have yet to meet a gentleman I wished to spend the rest of my days with, I would say the failure was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-alexander/as-i-have-yet-to-meet-a-gentleman-i-wished-to-spend-the-rest-of-my/) [Victoria Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-alexander/) > [When you say 'failure,' that seems really dramatic, but a lot of failure is just really depressing and mundane. I remember the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-you-say-failure-that-seems-really-dramatic-but-a-lot-of-failure/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“There are times you just want to put the tools down and say 'I can't do this, I'm done, I'm a failure.'I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/there-are-times-you-just-want-to-put-the-tools-down-and-say-i-can-t/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Don't say this is failure say this is A failed attempt ,, then say I'm gonna try more and more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moa-taz-el-sherbeny/don-t-say-this-is-failure-say-this-is-a-failed-attempt-then-say-i-m/) [Moa'taz El-Sherbeny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moa-taz-el-sherbeny/) > [“What other people say about how you fail means nothing, especially if you can say why your failure has made you stronger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/life-hacks-books/what-other-people-say-about-how-you-fail-means-nothing-especially-if/) [Life Hacks Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/life-hacks-books/) > [It's true what they say about failure. You don't learn from success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/it-s-true-what-they-say-about-failure-you-don-t-learn-from-success/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) ## More by Willard Wigan > [At home, when the heating pipes made noises, I imagined a tiny person was in there skipping with a rope. The fantasy world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/at-home-when-the-heating-pipes-made-noises-i-imagined-a-tiny-person/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [I'm just honoring my mother's words. She always told me, 'The smaller your work, the bigger your name will become.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/i-m-just-honoring-my-mother-s-words-she-always-told-me-the-smaller/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [I became obsessed with making more and more tiny things. I think I was trying to find a way of compensating for my embarrassment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/i-became-obsessed-with-making-more-and-more-tiny-things-i-think-i-was/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [I started making houses for ants because I thought they needed somewhere to live. Then I made them shoes and hats. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/i-started-making-houses-for-ants-because-i-thought-they-needed/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [My work knocks people out; you've not seen the best of me yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/my-work-knocks-people-out-you-ve-not-seen-the-best-of-me-yet/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [I was told I would become nothing. Now I am showing people how big nothing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/i-was-told-i-would-become-nothing-now-i-am-showing-people-how-big/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [When I first heard that Barack Obama was going to be the first black president, I wanted to do the smallest, biggest tribute in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/when-i-first-heard-that-barack-obama-was-going-to-be-the-first-black/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [Those that don't believe how small my work is should just come along and see it for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/those-that-don-t-believe-how-small-my-work-is-should-just-come-along/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [At school I'd want to be so small that nobody could see me, and so my work depicts and reflects me - what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/at-school-i-d-want-to-be-so-small-that-nobody-could-see-me-and-so-my/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [Flying helicopters is what I do for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/flying-helicopters-is-what-i-do-for-fun/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [My teacher said my brain was the size of a pea. He made my life miserable by singling me out in the classroom as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/my-teacher-said-my-brain-was-the-size-of-a-pea-he-made-my-life/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [I'm like a mad professor, but without the spiky hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/i-m-like-a-mad-professor-but-without-the-spiky-hair/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [When you work at a microscopic level, you have to control every part of your body movement - your fingertips, your joints, the pulse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/when-you-work-at-a-microscopic-level-you-have-to-control-every-part/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [People find it very, very difficult to believe what I've done. Scientists have seen my work and they can't explain it. Even nano-scientists have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/people-find-it-very-very-difficult-to-believe-what-i-ve-done/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) > [There are times when I've inhaled my work. There are artworks still inside of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willard-wigan/there-are-times-when-i-ve-inhaled-my-work-there-are-artworks-still/) [Willard Wigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) [Explore all 27 Willard Wigan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willard-wigan/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always say that failure was my friend. 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