proverb · Words worth keeping
Failure is not an option.
Failure is not an option.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying excludes failure from the available options. It expresses determination or the importance a speaker places on success.
What the words are saying
The forceful declaration does not change what outcomes are possible. A useful reading distinguishes a commitment from a guarantee and leaves room for contingency planning or revised expectations. It should not make acknowledging a problem seem disloyal or forbidden.
Everyday example
A team states its aim clearly while keeping a plan for difficulties that could prevent success.
When to use it
Use it to explain determined language without a prediction.
What it does not mean
Declaring failure unacceptable does not make it impossible.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 547; PDF page 79
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.