In this quote, Benjamin E. Mays is recommending that failure is not the ultimate sin, but rather having low aspirations and not pursuing greatness is the true misdeed. He is highlighting the value of setting high goals and working towards them, instead of settling for mediocrity. Mays believes that it is much better to try and fail than to not attempt at all. By having low goals, one is limiting their prospective and not completely using their capabilities. This quote acts as a suggestion to constantly intend high and never ever hesitate of failure, as it is a needed step towards success.
"Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's OK to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing"