Subject: Problems » Failure

If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style.

(1908 – 1999) English writer
Failure Problems Success

He's completely unspoiled by failure.

(1899 – 1973) English playwright, actor, composer, director & songwriter
Failure Insults

Percussive Maintenance: Striking a recalcitrant piece of electronic hardware in order to facilitate a successful reboot, and repeating as necessary.

Definitions Failure Problems Things

It is not enough to succeed, others must fail.

(1925 – 2012) author, playwright, essayist & screenwriter
Failure Success

Machines that have broken down will work perfectly when the repairman arrives.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems Things

No job is too small to botch.

Failure Murphy’s Laws

Success doesn’t teach as many lessons as failure does.


Failure Success

Whenever a superstar is traded to your favorite team, he fades. Whenever your team trades away a useless no-name, he immediately rises to stardom.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Sports Success

The greatest thing the Democrats have ever done for me was to defeat me for the governor of Tennessee.

(1903 – 1992) country music singer, fiddler & promoter
Failure Government Politics

Office machines that function perfectly during normal business hours will break down when you return at night to use them for personal business.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems Things

The new hardware will break down as soon as the old is disconnected and out.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems Situations Things

If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

(1937 – 2008) stand-up comedian, social critic, actor & author
Failure Success

The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong, is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.

(1952 – 2001) English writer, dramatist, & musician
Failure Problems

Everything put together sooner or later falls apart.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems

Never fret for an only son, the idea of failure will never occur to him.

(1856 – 1950) Irish playwright & socialist
Failure Problems Success

Trying is the first step towards failure.

cartoon character in The Simpsons (Dan Castellaneta)
Failure Problems Situations

A government is the only known vessel that leaks from the top.

(1909 – 1995) American journalist
Failure Government Problems

Whatever a parent does is wrong.

Failure Family Murphy’s Laws Parents Problems Young

In this world there are winners and losers – and, of course, ‘the others’, who comprise the majority.

(1967 – ) English comedian
Failure People Success

Psychiatry enables us to correct our faults by confessing our parents’ shortcomings.

(1919 – 1990) educator & writer
Failure Family

The shortest distance between two points is a downward spiral.

Failure Murphy’s Laws Problems