"If you know you are going to fail, then fail gloriously"
About this Quote
The intent is practical, almost professional. Acting is a job where rejection is routine and the “right” choice is often only obvious in hindsight. Blanchett’s phrase reads like rehearsal-room wisdom: take the big swing, because timid choices don’t reduce risk; they just guarantee mediocrity. “Gloriously” reframes failure as evidence of effort, taste, and nerve - a kind of aesthetic standard applied to losing. It’s not motivational-poster optimism; it’s craft talk with a wink.
The subtext is also about control. You may not control outcomes, but you can control the style of your attempt: the clarity of your intention, the boldness of your decisions, the refusal to apologize mid-action. In a moment when personal brands are curated to look effortlessly correct, “fail gloriously” rejects the algorithmic instinct to be inoffensive and reversible. It advocates for the messy, human version of ambition: sincere enough to risk embarrassment, disciplined enough to fail with conviction.
Quote Details
| Topic | Failure |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Blanchett, Cate. (2026, January 14). If you know you are going to fail, then fail gloriously. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-you-know-you-are-going-to-fail-then-fail-51789/
Chicago Style
Blanchett, Cate. "If you know you are going to fail, then fail gloriously." FixQuotes. January 14, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-you-know-you-are-going-to-fail-then-fail-51789/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"If you know you are going to fail, then fail gloriously." FixQuotes, 14 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-you-know-you-are-going-to-fail-then-fail-51789/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.














