--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good people are good because they've come…" description: "\"Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure.\" — William Saroyan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg" --- # Good people are good because they've come to wisdom… ![“Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure.” quote by William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg) > “Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure.” [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wisdom emerges from failure, making good people wiser. **In simple terms:** Failure teaches wisdom. Key Takeaway Learn from mistakes to grow. Themes failure wisdom personal growth Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal crises - educational challenges Key Concepts Philosophy of experience learning theory Questions to Reflect On - What lesson did failure teach you? - How can you turn setbacks into wisdom? A Different Perspective Repeated failure can erode confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cheer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheer/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Learning from failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-from-failure/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Past failures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-failures/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-good/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wisdom and experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-and-experience/) [Wisdom experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-experience/) [Wisdom Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-failure-2395166/) [Witty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witty/) ## Related quotes > [We get very little wisdom from success, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/we-get-very-little-wisdom-from-success-you-know/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it - and stop there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/we-should-be-careful-to-get-out-of-an-experience-only-the-wisdom-that-2/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [There's nothing good about getting older-absolutely nothing-because the amount of wisdom and experience you gain is negligible compared to what you lose. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/there-s-nothing-good-about-getting-older-absolutely-nothing-because/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [The wisdom and experience of older people is a resource of inestimable worth. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/the-wisdom-and-experience-of-older-people-is-a-resource-of/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [All this was mine; but I was a long time learning that wisdom and experience are things apart; that to taste life is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallis-simpson/all-this-was-mine-but-i-was-a-long-time-learning-that-wisdom-and/) [Wallis Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallis-simpson/) > [I was a long time learning that wisdom and experience are things apart; that to taste life is not to be confused with understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallis-simpson/i-was-a-long-time-learning-that-wisdom-and-experience-are-things/) [Wallis Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallis-simpson/) > [When one door closes another door opens. Usually a refrigerator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-mcfarlane/when-one-door-closes-another-door-opens-usually-a-refrigerator/) [Bonnie McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-mcfarlane/) > [Failure is not a crime. Failure to learn from failure is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wriston/failure-is-not-a-crime-failure-to-learn-from-failure-is/) [Walter Wriston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wriston/) > [You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/you-build-on-failure-you-use-it-as-a-stepping-stone/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [“We learn wisdom from failure much more than success. We often discover what we will do, by finding out what we will not do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/we-learn-wisdom-from-failure-much-more-than-success-we-often-discover/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/we-learn-wisdom-from-failure-much-more-than-from-success-we-often/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Liberal hostility to the traditional family helped to undermine centuries of accumulated wisdom and experience about what was best for children and adults. Far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/liberal-hostility-to-the-traditional-family-helped-to-undermine/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [To assault the total culture totally is to be free to use all the fruits of mankind's wisdom and experience without the rotten structure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-malina/to-assault-the-total-culture-totally-is-to-be-free-to-use-all-the/) [Judith Malina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-malina/) > [Travel moulds a man, people mould his wisdom and experiences mould his life...!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sujit-lalwani/travel-moulds-a-man-people-mould-his-wisdom-and-experiences-mould-his/) [Sujit Lalwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sujit-lalwani/) > [Spend time reflecting on your emotional and physical existence and how that applies to the voice. You have to apply that wisdom and experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-lang/spend-time-reflecting-on-your-emotional-and-physical-existence-and/) [K. D. Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-d-lang/) ## More by William Saroyan > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [The basic truth of all things, as nearly as we may ever dream of determining and knowing this truth, is form, that which is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/the-basic-truth-of-all-things-as-nearly-as-we-may-ever-dream-of/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“This is a hell of a night. I don't want to leave it just to go to sleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/this-is-a-hell-of-a-night-i-don-t-want-to-leave-it-just-to-go-to-sleep/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Americans still believe they are cut out to be successful-in everything: love, love-making, luck, luck-giving, money-making, sense-making, cancer-avoiding, clothes-wearing, car-driving, and so on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/americans-still-believe-they-are-cut-out-to-be-successful-in/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [I can't decide for you whether or not you have got to write, but if anything in the world, war, or pestilence, or famine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-can-t-decide-for-you-whether-or-not-you-have-got-to-write-but-if/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [He paints for the blind, and we are the blind, and he lets us see for sure what we saw long ago but weren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/he-paints-for-the-blind-and-we-are-the-blind-and-he-lets-us-see-for/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [I am interested in madness. I believe it is the biggest thing in the human race, and the most constant. How do you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-am-interested-in-madness-i-believe-it-is-the-biggest-thing-in-the/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Two years ago your father died, Ulysses. But as long as we are alive, as long as we are together, as long as two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/two-years-ago-your-father-died-ulysses-but-as-long-as-we-are-alive-as/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Cowards are nice, they're interesting, they're gentle, they wouldn't think of shooting down people in a parade from a tower. They want to live,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/cowards-are-nice-they-re-interesting-they-re-gentle-they-wouldn-t/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [In the time of your life, live - so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/in-the-time-of-your-life-live-so-that-in-that-good-time-there-shall/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [San Francisco is a world to explore. It is a place where the heart can go on a delightful adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/san-francisco-is-a-world-to-explore-it-is-a-place-where-the-heart-can/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Even after you've won fame and fortune, every time you write you've got to write, there's no shortcut, you have to start your career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/even-after-you-ve-won-fame-and-fortune-every-time-you-write-you-ve/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose history is ended, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/i-should-like-to-see-any-power-of-the-world-destroy-this-race-this/) [WILLIAM SAROYAN](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [There could be no extreme vanity in my recognition of myself, if in fact there could be any at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/there-could-be-no-extreme-vanity-in-my-recognition-of-myself-if-in/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [“This sense of being out of time has driven thousands of people from their homes into moving-picture theaters where new universes appear before them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/this-sense-of-being-out-of-time-has-driven-thousands-of-people-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) [Explore all 207 William Saroyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) ## More Cheer quotes > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Hardy thinks they're cheering for him. I'm not going to tell him differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-hoeppner/hardy-thinks-they-re-cheering-for-him-i-m-not-going-to-tell-him/) [Terry Hoeppner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-hoeppner/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [When the American people saw the LA riots and crowds of Blacks cheering O.J. Simpson (who was acquitted by the almost all Black jury),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/when-the-american-people-saw-the-la-riots-and-crowds-of-blacks/) [David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [“Kurt smiled a shy smile. "You're just trying to cheer me up," he said. "Course I am," Andy said. "You deserve to be full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/kurt-smiled-a-shy-smile-you-re-just-trying-to-cheer-me-up-he-said/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [Be of good cheer. Do not think of today's failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/be-of-good-cheer-do-not-think-of-today-s-failures-but-of-the-success/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [I am, beneath everything else, a fan. I was fixed in this mode as a young boy and am awed by people who take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-am-beneath-everything-else-a-fan-i-was-fixed-in-this-mode-as-a/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [ People had been so attached to the Diane \[Cheers\] character that audiences and producers found it difficult to think of me in any other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-long/people-had-been-so-attached-to-the-diane-cheers-character-that/) [Shelley Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-long/) > [I decided very early that I was going to be a reporter, that I would not cheer for the team. I don't denigrate people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-harwell/i-decided-very-early-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-reporter-that-i-would/) [Ernie Harwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-harwell/) > [It's fun, and a laugh for you... you can boo me and feel happy about yourself because you're part of the crowd that did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-goodes/it-s-fun-and-a-laugh-for-you-you-can-boo-me-and-feel-happy-about/) [Adam Goodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-goodes/) > [Poetical taste is the only magician whose wand is not broken. No hand, except its own, can dissolve the fabric of beauty in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/poetical-taste-is-the-only-magician-whose-wand-is-not-broken-no-hand/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [This is no time to be precious about locating the exact individuals directly involved in this particular terrorist attack… We know who the homicidal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/this-is-no-time-to-be-precious-about-locating-the-exact-individuals/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Cheer up, you're never alone! There is probably at least 1 bug in your room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/cheer-up-you-re-never-alone-there-is-probably-at-least-1-bug-in-your/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) [Browse all 1,099 Cheer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Saroyan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-come-to-wisdom-through-failure-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cheer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-come-to-wisdom-through-failure-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/william-saroyan-1743_cheer_good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-com_3016371.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Good people are good because they've come to wisdom through failure.” — William Saroyan", "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 Saroyan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Good people are good because they've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-come-to-wisdom-through-failure-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/good-people-are-good-because-they-ve-come-to-wisdom-through-failure-2/#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 } } ] } ```