Treat failure as a lesson on how not to approach achieving a goal, and then use that learning to improve your chances of success when you try again. Failure is only the end if you decide to stop.
Richard BransonRead
I find it very difficult to think of mistakes; not that I don't make any but because I was brought up to look only at the good things in life ... As for what lost the most money, probably Virgin Cola. It is still No 1 in Bangladesh though.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes focusing on positive aspects of life despite experiencing failures.
Richard Branson reflects on his upbringing, highlighting the importance of a positive mindset. He acknowledges that while he makes mistakes, his focus is on the good things in life, suggesting that this perspective can help one navigate failures and challenges. His mention of Virgin Cola, a product that struggled in the market, serves as a reminder that even perceived failures can have unexpected successes, emphasizing the complexity of business and the subjective nature of success.
Themes
PositivitySuccessMistakesMindsetGood Things
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech to young entrepreneurs, you can share this quote to encourage them to focus on their successes.
More from Richard Branson
All quotes →It's a common misconception that money is every entrepreneur's metric for success. It's not, and nor should it be.
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Values cannot be speedily forgotten if it is inconvenient or commercially expedient. Values have to have meaning and longevity; otherwise they are valueless. You cannot embrace innovation up to a point or only sometimes. Branding demands commitment; commitment to continual re-invention; striking cords with people to stir their emotions; and commitment to imagination. It is easy to be cynical about such things, much harder to be successful.
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Please don’t get hung up on this question of whether you need to have experience in an industry before you launch your startup.
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What's the most critical factor in any business decision you'll ever have to make? Basically, it boils down to this question: If this all crashes, will it bring the whole house tumbling down like a pack of cards? One business matra remains embedded in my brain - protect the downside.
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