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Success and failure

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“How can I now, in their classrooms, explain to these kids that no alarm clock is necessary because it is passion that will keep them awake? Why do so few parents or teachers make them understand this day after day? How can we fail to show our young people that only those who possess great passion can make the impossible possible?”
Paolo Crepet (born 1951) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When certainties fail, we can only save ourselves on that raft where solidarity with others gives meaning to our sacrifice.”
Eugenio Borgna (1930–2024) said by 2024 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They [William Buckley, Robert Welch, Billy James Hargis] are like doctors who seek to prescribe a cure for a desperately ill American public but FAIL TO DISCOVER AND ISOLATE THE JEWISH BACILLUS WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF THE PLAGUE OF DESTRUCTIVE NIHILISM BESETTING OUR BODY POLITIC.”
James H. Madole (1927–1979) first seen 1958 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: National Renaissance Bulletin, March-April 1958, p. 3, quoted in Thayer 1968, p. 62
“Not only do patients fail to receive the care they need, but the sale of these products also poses significant health risks.”
Mireille Dosso (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For Vyšinskij, the state remained a mere instrument of the party's political will, and the law could be nothing more than an expression of that will. Strongly opposing his theoretical adversaries, Vyšinskij did not fail to assert the argument of force as Attorney General in Stalin's trials. (chap. 4, p. 54)”
Umberto Cerroni (1926–2007) said by 2007 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Don’t hesitate to take risks. It is often needed if you want to achieve something. Remember also that it is ok to fail, and that you can learn a lot from your mistakes.”
Mari Kiviniemi (born 1968) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“They wrote me a letter to take to the bank to guarantee my loan if I fail to repay it.”
Josephine Okot (born 1970) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When leaders fail to properly manage their countries’ resources, they allow foreign corporations or governments to exploit them, perpetuating a narrative that African countries need external forces to thrive”
Peter Okebukola (born 1951) first seen 2025 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/06/resources-mismanagement-bane-of-development-in-africa-okebukola/#google_vignette
“In the search for knowledge in science and engineering, the worst intellectual crime one can commit is to prejudice one’s results, to prejudge how something will turn out. However, this is precisely what we are doing when we fail—from elementary school to graduate school—to encourage women and minorities to enter the fields of science and engineering.”
Shirley McBay (1935–2021) said by 2021 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you genuinely want to have a multifaceted career that takes you into multiple industries, then I think you have to be willing to fail.”
Susan Lyne (born 1951) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If secrecy is made out of the same stuff that the rest of the world is made out of, then it’s fundamentally visible, which means that secrecy can only fail in the first instance, in the sense that you cannot make something disappear.”
Trevor Paglen (born 1974) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To me it's just not understanding the way the world works and not understanding economics. It's not really rocket science. And maybe that's why for people who are always looking for complexity, they fail to see that. I think for folks like him, there's something very unsettling about this idea that the market can take care of things.”
Magatte Wade (born 1976) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It’s crucial to determine the resilience of your employees. There is a reason everyone is familiar with the old business adage “sink or swim.” The business world is tough. Mistakes will be made. Projects will fail. Problems will arise. You need staff members who can bounce back from adversity stronger, not staff members who give up and go home”
Raquel Baldelomar (born 1979) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you believe you’ll have to try and fail a lot to make a killer product, it’s not a bad idea to work on fun, lighthearted and relatively cheap products that you can quickly learn from.”
Katie Benner first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: taken from an interview with the New York Times, 15 November 2017
“If I were to remain silent I would fail in the mission entrusted to me by grace. Catholics who live their faith can never be in favour of euthanasia or vote for its legalisation in our country. Catholics will always stand for the culture of life.”
Lázaro Pérez Jiménez (1943–2009) first seen 2007 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Catholics who live their faith can never be in favour of euthanasia or vote for its legalisation in our country" says Bishop of Celaya (2 July 2007) Fides News Agency
“In the name of unity, we silence critical voices. In the name of stability, we close spaces for renewal. In the name of continuity, we fail to create spaces for the active participation of young people and women in decision-making processes”
Joaquim Chissano (born 1939) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the universe we are unique, yet we fail to appreciate this gift.”
Stanislav Nádvorník wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For all of us that played at this WAFCON, this was our first time to feature at the tournament. We came here with the sole goal of going to the final, but we fell short. We did not fail because we leave here with so many lessons learnt”
Opah Clement (born 2001) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I am an example of the dangers that lie ahead if we fail as a country to document and teach our indigenous languages.”
Mavis Kuukua Bissue (born 1981) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“All those Ngamiland farmers who are owed, and whose money is due or overdue for payment will be paid without fail by next week.”
Karabo Gare wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Each time you differ with some of them, they see you as an enemy. As Chief Whip, I have the authority to speak up when things aren’t going well. My duty is to protect the image of this government and I will continue to do so without fail.”
Liakat Kablay (died 2024) said by 2024 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The second was conquering others. There were so many times that people told me that I would fail.But I conquered others. I surrounded myself with people who uplifted me, supported me, and mentored me.”
Catriona Gray (born 1994) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It has become too easy to see that the luckless men of the past lived by mistakes, even absurd beliefs, so we may well fail in a decent respect for them, and forget that historians of the future will point out that we too lived by myths.”
Herbert J. Muller (1905–1980) first seen 1963 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Freedom in the Western World (1963) ch. 2, sec. 3
“We may fail, but it’s never falling. But in the ever-rising where perfection lies.”
Loida Nicolas Lewis (born 1942) first seen 2026 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: INQUIRER.net US Bureau / 12:52 AM May 05, 2026
“What I fail to do is master the art of getting my thought across in 30 seconds.”
Michelle Dee (born 1995) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I always watch my shows and fail to understand where I get some of the things I say or responses I give during the shoot.”
Rebecca Chisamba (born 1952) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To understand who we are, we need to de-dramatize the distant past, study it without drawing grand conclusions, respect science as a human effort but also not to expect it to solve all problems, and look at the societies we live in—the worlds we make and fail to make. Other than some critical resources and more illusions, the deep past offers us very little on these questions.”
Stefanos Geroulanos (born 1979) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“... spacetime as a concept leads to some … where the equations fail. This happens in the interiors of the black holes when spacetime somehow collapses ... And, also, most importantly it happened in the beginning of the Big Bang.”
Juan Maldacena (born 1968) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: (quote at 0:19 of 4:18; 2017 Breakthrough Prize held on December 4, 2016 at in )
“Hinihingi ko na tayo ay umuwi na. Mamahinga. Alang-alang sa iyong kalusugan. Kaya kung mabigo at mawala sa ’yo ang posisyon pero hindi ko kayang mawala ka sa amin. (My appeal is for us to come home. Rest, for the sake of your health. We can bear it if you fail and lose your position, but I can’t bear it if we lose you).”
Imee Marcos (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Everything that life brings is unexpected. Planned things fail, but when we don't aim and just shoot from the hip, we always hit the target. Magically. Following our instinct leads us to the sun.”
Biagio Antonacci (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We need to accept that it really happens, marketing campaigns fail... We cannot afford to put to waste everything that we built for Philippine tourism.”
Nancy Binay (born 1973) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“You only learn when you fail. You cannot learn from being perfect all the time.”
Vicky Morales (born 1969) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If you fail, you pick yourself up. Learn from your mistakes. Just don't make the same mistakes over and over again.”
Vicky Morales (born 1969) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I've seen that when you separate, it seems like you're going to get angry. That's not possible, that's not possible. You will always have a relationship because of the kids. They're also confused because of the fight. We failed as husband and wife, so let's not fail as parents yet.”
Claudine Barretto (born 1979) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Claudine Barretto bio: business, husband, children, age Claudine Barretto bio: business, husband, children,, By Carlo Padilla 6 November 2019.
“My luv & my life. Always & forever." let's not fail as parents yet.”
Claudine Barretto (born 1979) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Claudine Barretto bio: business, husband, children, age Claudine Barretto bio: business, husband, children,, By Carlo Padilla 6 November 2019.
“Lastly, don’t be afraid to fail. It’s all part of the journey because that means you tried and you can always try again.”
Kyline Alcantara (born 2002) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Kyline Alcantara writes inspiring letter to children with big dreams, 28 October 2019.
“The people have the right to democratically withdraw their trust in the authorities when the latter fail to fulfil their sovereign duties.”
Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku (born 1952) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: North Kivu lives a Holy Week of Passion: at least 11 dead in terror attacks (5 April 2018) Fides News Agency
“Every civilisation, especially the Western one, has been nothing but edifying – even and especially when it has produced the extreme of destruction and horror. Can man ever fail to be edifying?”
Emanuele Severino (1929–2020) said by 2020 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“When Christians no longer live according to their faith, history will not fail to show the consequences, reserving for them a necessary purification.”
Giuseppe Tanzella-Nitti (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“...many AI-driven solutions introduced in Africa fail to address local needs, are riddled with biases, and inadvertently create a form of foreign technological dominance in African markets.”
Charlette N'Guessan (born 1994) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Sick people die; and healthy babies replace them. But if the economic base dies, the babies also die, or even fail to be born. The bigger threat is, therefore, that on biological diversity, on which indigenous and local communities completely depend for survival. So, we had to do something on biosafety.”
Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher (1940–2023) said by 2023 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“you should do technical drawing and agriculture and carpentry as you study the main stream subjects other than saying, ‘when you fail here you go there.’ Yes, if we can restructure that, this country would be different.”
Waswa Balunywa (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If one continues to compose poems of the sort that everyone else considers good, one must remain forever at that ordinary level. On the other hand, when one writes poems whose essence is profound and difficult, others fail to understand them, and this is frustrating.”
Shotetsu (1381–1459) said by 1459 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Conversations with Shotetsu (Shotetsu Monogatari), 1992, Translated by Robert H. Bower
“All social schemes based on the assumption that man's good lies in the natural order alone must fail. The brotherhood of man is a dream unless it be founded in the Fatherhood of God. In the Christian dispensation in which we live the natural order cannot stand without the support of the supernatural order.”
John Dawson Gilmary Shea (1824–1892) said by 1892 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The people have assimilated the principles of democracy and taken part in a peaceful and orderly election on 31 July. It is the political leaders who fail to come to any agreement and so increase tension. The people of Congo hope that from these elections will emerge a leadership able to lead the country to peace and development.”
Pierre-Célestin Tshitoko Mamba (born 1956) first seen 2006 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Too many weapons still in circulation”: warns International Monitoring Committee (14 September 2006) Fides News Agency
“I always believed that if you have a plan B, you're prepared to fail.”
Sydney Sweeney (born 1997) first seen 2023 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: D'Addario, Daniel (August 9, 2023). "Sydney Sweeney Takes Control: The 'Euphoria' Star on 'Feeling Beat Up' by Online Rumors and Proving People Wrong in Her Producer Era". Variety.
“We would like to become saints in one day... Instead, let us be faithful to cooperate with the graces that God accords us, and he will not fail to lead us to the realization of his plans.”
Louis Lallemant (1578–1635) said by 1635 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If the divine precepts of a Christian life, and the necessary means of fulfilling them, are but firmly rooted in the minds of youth of both sexes, they will not fail to become virtuous ornaments of the Catholic Church, worthy members of society here, and happy citizens of heaven hereafter.”
William Eusebius Andrews (1773–1837) said by 1837 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Catholic School Book (1864)
“She had gone off from her husband to live by herself with the priests, had she not? Does a man, seeing a trinket lying before him in the grass, fail to pick it up?”
Jane Smiley (born 1949) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“She asked me to sit down and told me that whatever happens in that exam, whether I pass or fail, she knows that I will always be successful. Hearing her say that statement changed my life. Every burden I had carried on my shoulders was lifted,”
Thabiso Molokomme (born 2001) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source