--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there is any single factor that makes…" description: "\"If there is any single factor that makes for success in living, it is the ability to draw dividends from defeat.\" — William Moulton Marston" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg" --- # If there is any single factor that makes for success in… ![“If there is any single factor that makes for success in living, it is the ability to draw dividends from defeat.” quote by William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg) > “If there is any single factor that makes for success in living, it is the ability to draw dividends from defeat.” [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success comes from learning and growing through setbacks, turning loss into future advantage. **In simple terms:** Winning is about learning from defeat. Key Takeaway Turn setbacks into stepping stones. Themes resilience growth success Mood inspirational pragmatic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports - business - personal development Key Concepts learning adaptation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you extract lessons from recent failures? - What habits help you bounce back? A Different Perspective Failure can be demotivating if not reframed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Dividends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dividends/) [Dividends Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dividends-defeat-577961/) [Draw Dividends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draw-dividends-577962/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Factors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factors/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Makes Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-success-381314/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-living-526043/) ## Related quotes > [Failure is what makes success really a SUCCESS!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/failure-is-what-makes-success-really-a-success/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The man who grasps an opportunity as it is paraded before him, nine times out of ten makes a success, but the man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-man-who-grasps-an-opportunity-as-it-is-paraded-before-him-nine/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [“Honest trading makes for success.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-forman/honest-trading-makes-for-success/) [M. L. Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-forman/) > [Failure makes success so much sweeter, and allows you to thumb your nose at the crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-smith/failure-makes-success-so-much-sweeter-and-allows-you-to-thumb-your/) [Wilbur Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-smith/) > [It’s not when you start that makes your success in the world, but when you quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/it-s-not-when-you-start-that-makes-your-success-in-the-world-but-when/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Continuity is what makes success, but it is all about getting over the humps on the road to that; that's what football is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-souness/continuity-is-what-makes-success-but-it-is-all-about-getting-over-the/) [Graeme Souness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-souness/) > [When you put in all efforts in your endeavour it makes success all the more sweet. When you come from behind and do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/when-you-put-in-all-efforts-in-your-endeavour-it-makes-success-all/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/flaming-enthusiasm-backed-up-by-horse-sense-and-persistence-is-the/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Success makes success, like money makes money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-makes-success-like-money-makes-money/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Failure makes the success worth it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/failure-makes-the-success-worth-it/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [“Failure makes Success more appreciable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idowu-ayodeji/failure-makes-success-more-appreciable/) [Idowu Ayodeji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idowu-ayodeji/) > [“The challenge is what makes the success worthwhile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keely-barton/the-challenge-is-what-makes-the-success-worthwhile/) [Keely Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keely-barton/) > [What makes success is not your genius idea, but the execution and follow-through around it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/what-makes-success-is-not-your-genius-idea-but-the-execution-and/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [You definitely get the answer 'no' more times in this business than you do 'yes.' It's what you do with those 'nos' that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/you-definitely-get-the-answer-no-more-times-in-this-business-than-you/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [The only way to determine what makes for success is to establish what will make you content with your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-determine-what-makes-for-success-is-to-establish-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by William Moulton Marston > [Every crisis offers you extra desired power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/every-crisis-offers-you-extra-desired-power/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [“It's too bad for us 'literary' enthusiast, but it's the truth nevertheless — pictures tell any story more effectively than words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/it-s-too-bad-for-us-literary-enthusiast-but-it-s-the-truth/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Frankly, Wonder Woman is psychological propaganda for the new type of woman who should, I believe, rule the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/frankly-wonder-woman-is-psychological-propaganda-for-the-new-type-of/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Most of us actually stifle enough good impulses during the course of a day to change the current of our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/most-of-us-actually-stifle-enough-good-impulses-during-the-course-of/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Women are exciting for this one reason - it is the secret of women's allure - women enjoy submission, being bound. This I bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/women-are-exciting-for-this-one-reason-it-is-the-secret-of-women-s/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength, and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/not-even-girls-want-to-be-girls-so-long-as-our-feminine-archetype/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/women-s-strong-qualities-have-become-despised-because-of-their/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Normal men retain their childish longing for a woman to mother them. At adolescence a new desire is added. They want a girl to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/normal-men-retain-their-childish-longing-for-a-woman-to-mother-them/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [The wish to be super-strong is a healthy wish, a vital, compelling, power-producing desire. The more the Superman-Wonder Woman picture stories build up this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/the-wish-to-be-super-strong-is-a-healthy-wish-a-vital-compelling/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Realize what you really want. It stops you from chasing butterflies and puts you to work digging gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/realize-what-you-really-want-it-stops-you-from-chasing-butterflies/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Comics speak, without qualm or sophistication, to the innermost ears of the wishful self. The response is like that of a thirsty traveler who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/comics-speak-without-qualm-or-sophistication-to-the-innermost-ears-of/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Besides the practical knowledge which defeat offers, there are important personality profits to be taken. Defeat strips away false values and makes you realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/besides-the-practical-knowledge-which-defeat-offers-there-are/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [“They're going to drown me in milk--what a waste of good baby-food!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/they-re-going-to-drown-me-in-milk-what-a-waste-of-good-baby-food/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Comics play a trite but lusty tune on the C natural keys of human nature. They rouse the most primitive, but also the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/comics-play-a-trite-but-lusty-tune-on-the-c-natural-keys-of-human/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) > [Besides the practical knowledge which defeat offers, there are important personality profits to be taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/besides-the-practical-knowledge-which-defeat-offers-there-are-2/) [William Moulton Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) [Explore all 17 William Moulton Marston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [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/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there is any single factor that makes for success in living, it is the ability to draw dividends from defeat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Moulton Marston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes-for-success-in-living-it-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes-for-success-in-living-it-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb3/william-moulton-marston-30910_ability_if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes_2451953.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there is any single factor that makes for success in living, it is the ability to draw dividends from…” — William Moulton Marston", "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": "William Moulton Marston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-moulton-marston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there is any single factor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes-for-success-in-living-it-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-moulton-marston/if-there-is-any-single-factor-that-makes-for-success-in-living-it-is/#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 } } ] } ```