The only real failure is failing to learn from failure.
There is a story of a young reporter who was commissioned to interview an old and successful businessman.
`Sir,’ he asked politely, `what has been the secret of your success?’
The older man leaned back on his leather swivel chair, behind his shining mahogany desk, and replied, `Two words, son, two words: right decisions.’
The reporter wrote it down. Then he asked another question. `And how do you learn how to make right decisions, sir?’ he asked.
The successful business man leaned back further and replied, `One word, son, one word: experience.’
The reporter wrote this down, too, and then asked, `Well, sir, how do you acquire experience?’
The older man leaned forward over his desk and whispered conspiratorially, `Two words, son, two words: wrong decisions!’
The only real failure is failing to learn from failure.
