By Jean Baptiste Ndabananiye
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Robert F. Kennedy’s words resonate with a truth that stands as old as humanity, yet it’s a truth we still don’t want to hear: failure is not just a possibility, but the very gateway to success. It is a universal truth: success especially unbelievable one is often, if not always, born from the courage to risk failure. We live in a world obsessed with success stories, where unfortunately failures are buried like rubbish.
But what if failure isn’t something to be avoided, but something to be chased? We’ve been told since childhood that failure constitutes a setback, a mark of incompetence. But in reality, it just forms the beginning of something extraordinary. In this article, we’ll delve into : Why are we so afraid of failure? Given how ancient this truth is, shouldn’t we be more acclimated to it—less uncomfortable with failure by now? Our next part will focus on:
- The strange yet undeniable truth: the greater your failures, the greater your potential to achieve greatness
- What if the very thing we dread is the thing we need to seek out?
More about Kennedy, before addressing the subject at hand
Kennedy’s life was marked by both triumphs and setbacks, from his role in shaping civil rights policies to the devastating loss of his brother, reinforcing his belief that greatness emerges from adversity. Despite facing political opposition and personal tragedies, he continued to fight for justice and equality, demonstrating that the courage to risk failure is essential for achieving meaningful change. His unwavering resilience, particularly in standing against the Vietnam War and advocating for marginalized communities, embodies his own words—that only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.
According to Goodreads, Kennedy— also called RFK, was the United States Attorney General from 1961 to 1964 and a US Senator from New York from 1965 until his assassination in 1968. He was one of US President John F. Kennedy’s younger brothers, and also one of his most trusted advisors and worked closely with the president during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He also provided a substantial contribution to the African-American Civil Rights Movement.
After the assassination of his brother—John F. Kennedy in late 1963, Kennedy continued as Attorney General under the President Johnson for nine months. He resigned in September 1964 and was elected to the United States Senate from New York that November. He broke with Johnson over the Vietnam War, among other issues.
Why are we so afraid of failure, while given the age of this truth?
While the idea of failure leading to greatness is appealing, the reality is that most people are paralyzed by failure and even just the fear of failing. Failure is as ancient as human civilization. The Beautiful Truth (TBT) is a platform which, for more than twenty years, has been narrating stories relating to the human story of business.
In its article titled “A Brief History of Failure”, TBT points out “Failure is as old as humankind, and so is its history.The Chinese writer and philosopher Lao Tzu was one of the first to think and write about failure. Scholars still debate whether he lived in the sixth or fourth centuries before Christ, but the fact of the matter is that in his Tao Te Ching, a classic of Chinese philosophical literature, he touches on failure multiple times. First, he warns about the perils of success.”
According to TBT, success— he says— is as dangerous as failure. “How? The ancient philosopher gives us a visual example.” “Whether you go up the ladder or down it, your position is shaky. But when you stand with your two feet on the ground, you will always keep your balance.” TBT asks “Was Lao Tzu suggesting inaction?” and responds “Not quite.” “Failure is an opportunity,” he has written.
TBT goes on, saying “In ancient Greece, everybody agreed that you can be good, and yet fail. Tragic drama was the art form chosen to constantly remind of this common denominator of humankind. This genre peaked around the fifth century BC, and thanks to Aristotle’s Poetics, we can now understand their structure and key ingredients.”
“For example, the hero of a tragedy has very specific traits: they are dignified, perhaps more than average, and always prone to making small mistakes. While their shortcomings may be innocuous at the beginning, later on in the story, it will become clear that they will lead to a catastrophe. They will turn out to be fatal. Fatal because fate was governed by the Gods, who decide people’s destiny. So, in a nutshell, tragedies become sympathetic and morally complex accounts of how good people can end up in disastrous situations.”
TBT reports that by inspiring pity for losers and fear for oneself, tragedies taught people not to admire only the successful and view the unfortunate as losers. This platform adds that it came to pass that poverty and weakness were favoured over the worldly values of money, fame, and military glory. “In a sense, failing becomes a sign of being blessed.”
When did this mindset change, to perceive failure as a curse?
“Things changed radically with the rise of the Roman Empire, where success meant money, fame, and military glory. Julius Caesar, who began his career as a general and statesman, is arguably the one who brought this approach to success (and failure) to the point of no return. Caesar expanded the borders of the Roman republic to include France, Britain, parts of Germany, and even as far as Spain, Greece, and Egypt (among other nations).
So it’s no surprise that he was officially recognized as a God upon his death in 44 BC. Such an example created a lot of anxiety around failure—and indeed, suicide was an expected consequence for generals who failed on the battlefield. Interestingly, suicide was far more accepted in ancient Rome than it was in Athens or Sparta, as it was seen as an individual’s right. Remember the gods who ruled over the lives of poor losers in Greek tragedies? Those days were long gone.”
National Geographic reports “On March 15, 44 B.C.E., Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome, was stabbed to death by dozens of senators.Julius Caesar was immensely popular with the people of Rome. He was a successful military leader. Caesar was also a popular author who wrote about his travels, theories, and political views. Many members of the Senateresented Caesar’s popularity and arrogance.
After Caesar attained the status of dictator for life in 44 B.C.E., these officials decided to strike the ultimate blow against his power. A group of as many as 60 conspirators decided to assassinate Caesar at the meeting of the Senate on March 15, the ides of March. Collectively, the group stabbed Caesar a reported 23 times, killing the Roman leader.”
Caesar’s assassination was not framed as a failure on his part but rather as the fear-driven act of political rivals who sought to halt his rise. His military conquests and political reforms had solidified his dominance, making him an unparalleled force in Rome. To his opponents, his growing influence was not just a threat to their power but a testament to his extraordinary success. However, his unchecked ambition and perceived arrogance fueled resentment, serving as a cautionary tale that even the most triumphant figures can fall, if they alienate those around them.
Notwithstanding, this mindset of equating success with money, fame and glory was once again shaken inside the Roman Empire. TBT writes “In 30 AD, Jesus of Nazareth delivered the Sermon on the Mount, in which he said: ‘Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.’ It was time for losers to shine again, and this time, big time and for centuries to come.
In the eyes of God, the unfortunate and unsuccessful are, in a way, more successful than those who have it all. Their failure erodes arrogance and encourages dependence on the divine. Poverty and weakness are favored over the worldly values of money, fame, and military glory. In a sense, failing becomes a sign of being blessed. And the rest is history.”
There occured a shift again some years later. “Fast forward about 1,800 years. In Napoleon’s France, a new, subversive idea arose: Meritocracy. Modern-day Caesar claimed that under his rule, talent, not inherited rank, would determine who progressed and who did not,” says TBT.
“Napoleon instituted the Legion of Honor, to which worthy people of all classes could aspire. Success had become a lot fairer and well-deserved. Failure was not accidental because success was within everyone’s reach. A principle that now lies at the core of what is widely considered the American value system, which underlies the foundations of capitalism.”
“Failure was not accidental because success was within everyone’s reach.”
TBT says “Half-way through the nineteenth century, two masterpieces of French and English literature glorified the accounts and successes of underprivileged individuals. They are Les Misérables and David Copperfield.
Around this time, a new type of genius was defined: someone who was initially rejected by the world could ultimately be accepted and honored. In other words, real successes aren’t immediate successes: they may have to wait a long time. Examples include painters such as Vincent van Gogh, Camille Pissaro, or Édouard Manet, among others.”
Failure is often seen as a setback, but for some of history’s greatest minds, it was a crucial stepping stone. Reconsider the case of American inventor Thomas Edison, whose relentless experimentation turned failure into a powerful catalyst for success. TBT puts it best “American inventor Thomas Edison, who lived between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, actively pursued failure and the innovative use of failure as a tool for his success.
From his experience and that of many others before him, we learned that not only should we expect innovations to fail, but that there are good reasons to want them to do so. Just do not say this to your investors when you’re seeking to finance your next big tech idea.”
Despite being an intrinsic part of growth and learning, failure too aged still carries a heavy emotional weight. While the concept of failure is ancient, the social constructs around it—like fear of judgment, comparison, and the pressure to succeed—evolve with each generation. Culturally, we often glorify success stories while quietly sidelining the failures that have paved the way, creating an illusion that success should be seamless.
The societal pressure to succeed, coupled with the stigma that surrounds failure, creates an environment where individuals are often unwilling to take risks. This is illustrated by those who—in the past— committed suicide, just because of failing for some time. On one hand, this fear constitutes a natural response—it’s deeply ingrained in us as part of our survival instincts. But on the other hand, it is spurred by society. Our next part will explore more the reason why TBT affirms that we should even want innovations to fail.