"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed"
About this Quote
The intent is motivational, but the subtext is more demanding than the poster version. Jordan isn’t asking you to “embrace” failure as a quirky growth hack; he’s normalizing relentless exposure to it. In his world, missing is data. Getting cut from a team, blowing a crucial possession, losing in the playoffs - these aren’t detours from the path, they’re the path. What matters is the refusal to let embarrassment become identity.
Context matters because Jordan’s public mythology is perfection: six rings, killer instinct, the iconic last shot. This quote sneaks backstage and shows the unglamorous machinery underneath that myth - repetition, stubbornness, and an almost antagonistic relationship with complacency. It also protects the brand. By admitting failure, he makes his dominance feel accessible (work for it), while keeping the standard brutally high (work endlessly).
It works culturally because it rejects the clean narrative arc. Success isn’t a montage; it’s a loop you’re willing to run until you look inevitable.
Quote Details
| Topic | Perseverance |
|---|---|
| Source | Unverified source: The New Yorker: Net Worth (Michael Jordan, 1998)
Evidence: June 1, 1998 issue (magazine article; no stable page number on web version). Primary-source-adjacent verification: this New Yorker profile reports that a Nike spot aired in 1997 and quotes Jordan reciting the exact line: “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succ... Other candidates (2) Michael Jordan (Michael Jordan) compilation98.8% ng shot and missed ive failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why i succeed Quotes That Will Change Your Life: 100 Success Words That... (Andrea Febrian, 2024) compilation95.0% ... I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." -Michael Jordan Let's talk about... |
| Featured | This quote was our Quote of the Day on January 28, 2026 |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Jordan, Michael. (2026, January 27). I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-failed-over-and-over-and-over-again-in-my-22351/
Chicago Style
Jordan, Michael. "I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." FixQuotes. January 27, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-failed-over-and-over-and-over-again-in-my-22351/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." FixQuotes, 27 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/ive-failed-over-and-over-and-over-again-in-my-22351/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.









