Failure & regret

How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success? Do you have a favourite failure?

80 answers answered between 1910 and 2026

Add your answer

On the record

Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Susan Butcher Dog musher; four-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
I feel that because I challenge myself so often, sometimes I will fail. This is, to me, the essence of competition — that there will be both winners and losers. But I have great faith in myself that I will turn this loss into something positive.
Recorded Academy of Achievement interview, 29 June 1991 source ↗
Peyton Manning American football quarterback
That's a real challenge and a real issue. Reading the statistics, they had a ranking of quarterbacks, and the statistic was the percentage of a touchdown drive after an interception. To me, that is a telling statistic. The guys that have a high percentage are the guys that have short memories. They talk about having amnesia as a quarterback. You better move along from it. It is hard to say you forget about it, because you want to learn from it. You want to address it. You can't just say it never happened.
Recorded Academy of Achievement interviewer, Academy of Achievement interview, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1 April 2007 source ↗
Li Na Chinese professional tennis player, 1999–2014
As hard as it's been to come to this decision, I am at peace with it. I have no regrets. I was not supposed to be here in the first place, remember? Not many people believed in my talent and my abilities, yet I found a way to persevere, to prove them (and sometimes myself!) wrong.
Recorded Open letter, 'My dear friends', Fox Sports Australia, 19 September 2014 source ↗
Adam Peaty British swimmer; Olympic champion 2016 and 2021
When I lost that 100m final I spiralled. I went quite aggressive. It is an Adam I don't really recognise.
Recorded BBC Sport, 24 July 2024 source ↗

0 answers from members

Nobody has answered this one yet.

More on failure & regret