25 thought leaders on learning from failure

We all fear the “F” word: failure. Being unsuccessful at anything provokes fear from nearly everybody, in both personal and professional circumstances. However, in the business world, without failure success wouldn’t exist. Failure is a function of trying, as well as a tool to see what doesn’t work and what might work in the future. The faster brand leaders can deal with failure, the faster they are ready to succeed. At the end of the day, nothing can happen without action; so go ahead, take the next step. Here are 25 leaders’ thoughts on failure to inspire you. Feel free to add your own in the comments below. “Sometimes, by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.” Donald Trump “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Ralph Waldo Emerson “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” Richard Branson “Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.” C. S. Lewis “If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative.” Woody Allen “We have 40 million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse.” Rudyard Kipling “I don't believe in failure. It is not failure if you enjoyed the process.” Oprah Winfrey “For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.” Mary Kay Ash “Failure after long perseverance is much grander than never to have a striving good enough to be called a failure.” George Eliot “It is not a disgrace to fail. Failing is one of the greatest arts in the world.” Charles Kettering “You always pass failure on your way to success.” Mickey Rooney “The person interested in success has to learn to view failure as a healthy, inevitable part of the process of getting to the top.” Joyce Brothers “Every failure is a step to success.” William Whewell “Don't be afraid of failure; be afraid of petty success.” Maude Adams “Never walk away from failure. On the contrary, study it carefully and imaginatively for its hidden assets.” Michael Korda “All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail. That is the talisman, the formula, the command of right about face which turns us from failure to success.” Dorothea Brande “When I was young, I observed that nine out of 10 things I did were failures. So I did 10 times more work.” George Bernard Shaw “I wasn't afraid to fail. Something good always comes out of failure.” Anne Baxter “There could be no honor in a sure success, but much might be wrested from a sure defeat.” Ann Landers “In the business world today, failure is apparently not an option. We need to change this attitude toward failure — and celebrate the idea that only by falling on our collective business faces do we learn enough to succeed down the road.” Naveen Jain “I have probably purchased 50 'hot tips' in my career, maybe even more. When I put them all together, I know I am a net loser.” Charles M. Schwab “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.” Colin Powell “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” Henry Ford “Success or failure depends more upon attitude than upon capacity. Successful men act as though they have accomplished or are enjoying something. Soon it becomes a reality. Act, look, feel successful, conduct yourself accordingly, and you will be amazed at the positive results.” William James “When we tackle obstacles, we find hidden reserves of courage and resilience we did not know we had. And it is only when we are faced with failure do we realize that these resources were always there within us. We only need to find them and move on with our lives.” A. P. J. Abdul Kalam