failure - quotes

Henry James, 1843-1916

was a British (US -born) author

Thank goodness you're a failure — it's why I so distinguish you! Anything else to-day is too hideous. Look about you —  look at the successes. Would you BE one, on your honour?

( “The Ambassadors”, Book First, Chapter 3, 1903 )

Theodore Roosevelt, 1858-1919

was a 26th president of US

Far better is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.

( Speech “The Man in the Arena”, 1910 )

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955

was an US (German-born) physicist

If my theory of relativity proves to be correct, Germany will claim me a German, and France will claim me a citizen of the world. However, if it proves wrong, France will say I'm a German, and Germany will say that I'm a jew.