My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.
Meaning
Failure itself is not the greatest problem; becoming comfortable with failure is. Losing, making mistakes, or falling short can happen to anyone. What matters is whether you treat the experience as the end or as a chance to learn and try again. The deeper message is that repeated failure does not have to weaken you—accepting it without reflection can. When you ask what went wrong, change your approach, and keep moving, even a setback can become part of your growth.
How to Use
- Instead of saying “I am a failure,” identify what went wrong in the specific situation. This makes the problem easier to improve.
- After a setback, write down one mistake, one lesson, and one change you will make next time.
- If the same approach keeps producing the same result, do not simply repeat it. Try a different strategy.
- Give yourself time to recover, but set a clear next step so disappointment does not quietly become permanent.
Copy and Use This Quote
My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure.
— Abraham Lincoln
Browse Quotes By Categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Abraham Lincoln mean by this quote?
The quote means that failure is less concerning than becoming satisfied with failure. A setback can be temporary, but accepting it as your final result can prevent further effort, learning, and improvement.
Is failure considered bad according to this quote?
No. The quote does not treat failure as the greatest danger. Failure can provide useful information about what needs to change. The real concern is losing the desire to improve after something goes wrong.
What does “content with your failure” mean?
It means becoming comfortable with an unsuccessful result and no longer wanting to change it. Someone may stop trying, make excuses, or decide that improvement is impossible instead of examining what happened and making another attempt.
How can this quote help after making a mistake?
Use the mistake as a stopping point for reflection, not as a final judgment about yourself. Ask what caused the result, what you can control, and what you will do differently when you get another opportunity.
What is the main message of this Abraham Lincoln quote?
Its central message is that resilience matters more than a perfect record. Everyone can experience setbacks, but continuing to learn and make another attempt keeps failure from becoming a permanent condition.