QuoteProject
Life’s greatest tragedy consists of men and women who earnestly try, and fail!
Napoleon Hill
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The true tragedy in life is not failure itself, but the persistence in trying and still not achieving one's goals.

This quote by Napoleon Hill suggests that the greatest sorrow in life arises from the efforts of individuals who strive earnestly yet ultimately fall short of success. It highlights the emotional and psychological impact of dedication and ambition that are not met with the desired results, emphasizing that the struggle and earnest attempts to make something of oneself are profound experiences, regardless of the outcome.

Themes

TragedyFailureEffortSuccessDedication

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about resilience, I might say, 'Remember, life’s greatest tragedy consists of men and women who earnestly try, and fail.'

More from Napoleon Hill

Men take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those with whom they associate in a spirit of sympathy and harmony.
Napoleon HillRead
Nature yields her most profound secrets to the person who is determined to uncover them.
Napoleon HillRead
Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true.
Napoleon HillRead
One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat.
Napoleon HillRead
Let nobody bribe you away from being yourself.
Napoleon HillRead
Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win - essential to success.
Napoleon HillRead

Similar quotes

I felt like a rich vagabond who had passed through the world paving my way with gold fairy dust, then realizing too late that the path disintegrated as soon as I passed over it.
Amy TanRead
All men die, but not all men really live.
William WallaceRead
Ah, but in time the heat of noontide passes, and to it there succeed nightfall and dusk, with a return to the quiet fold where for the weary an the heavy-laden there waits sleep, sweet sleep.
Ivan TurgenevRead
I felt a failure because I couldn't sustain myself from what I earned from my writing. My day jobs were what mattered, and it was hard to even get those because universities wouldn't hire me as a real writer.
Sandra CisnerosRead
It’s like the grief has been covered over with some kind of blanket. It’s still there, but the sharpest edges are .. muffled, sort of. Then, ever now and then, I lift the corner of the blanket just to check, and .. whoa! Like a knife! I’m not sure that will ever change.
Anne TylerRead
Think of life as a voyage. The truest liver of the truest life is like a voyager who, as he sails, is not indifferent to all the beauty of the sea around him.
Phillips BrooksRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.