In partnership with

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Receive Honest News Today

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Sign up today!

Failure is one of the great equalizers of life. No matter who you are, how hard you work, or what you dream of accomplishing, you will fall short at times. You will take risks that don’t pan out. You will try things that don’t work. You will make decisions you wish you had made differently.

But according to John Burroughs—American naturalist, philosopher, and keen observer of human character—none of that makes you a failure. Failure is an event, not an identity. It only becomes an identity the moment you hand your power away through blame.

Burroughs’ insight delivers a powerful truth:
You can fail repeatedly and still be growing… but the moment you start blaming others, growth stops.

Expanded Meaning: Why This Quote Matters Today

1. You can fail without becoming a failure.

Everyone fails. The only difference between those who rise and those who stay down is the willingness to keep taking responsibility for their next step. Resilience is built in the trying—not in perfection.

2. Blame is the turning point that solidifies defeat.

Blame may feel comforting in the moment, but it traps you. Once you believe your circumstances are someone else’s responsibility, you stop believing in your ability to change your future.
Blame steals your agency. Accountability restores it.

3. Ownership is empowerment.

When you say, “This is mine to learn from,” you take back your power. You become the author of your story, not a bystander watching life happen to you.

4. Honest self-reflection fuels growth.

The bravest people aren’t the ones who never fall—they’re the ones willing to look inward, learn, adapt, and rise again. Failure becomes fertilizer for better decisions.

5. Blame protects the ego but sabotages progress.

Pointing fingers might soothe your pride, but it kills momentum. Real progress comes from asking:
“What can I do differently next time?”

Burroughs’ message is clear:
Failure is temporary. Blame is what makes it permanent.

Context & Origin: Why John Burroughs Spoke About Responsibility

John Burroughs (1837–1921) was a celebrated American naturalist and essayist whose writings bridged nature, philosophy, and human behavior. Although remembered mostly for his reflections on the natural world, Burroughs also wrote extensively about character—how a person grows, adapts, and responds to adversity.

His quote on failure reflects the same self-reliant spirit found in the works of Thoreau and Emerson. Burroughs believed that just as nature adapts, bends, and persists through harsh seasons, so must people. He saw blaming others as an unnatural response—one that disconnects a person from their potential for growth.

To him, accountability was not a burden but a path to freedom, because it puts the future back into your hands.

RESOURCE LIST: Tools for Mastering Ownership & Resilience

1. Books on Personal Responsibility & Growth

• “Man’s Search for Meaning” – Viktor E. Frankl
  A masterclass in finding meaning and strength even in life’s hardest moments.

• “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” – Stephen R. Covey
  Foundational principles for living with purpose and personal accountability.

• “Extreme Ownership” – Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
  A practical guide to owning your outcomes in every area of life.

2. Works by John Burroughs

• “Accepting the Universe” – Essays on life, character, and personal integrity.

• “The Art of Seeing Things” – Reflections on clarity, self-awareness, and living intentionally.

• “Leaf and Tendril” – Insights into simplicity, nature, and internal renewal.

3. Articles & Essays on Failure and Accountability

• Harvard Business Review – “Strategies for Learning from Failure”
  Explains the difference between productive failure and blame-driven stagnation.

• Psychology Today – “The Blame Game: Why We Play It and How to Stop”
  Breaks down the psychology behind blame and how to reclaim responsibility.

• James Clear – “Failure Is Feedback”
  A powerful explanation of why setbacks are data—not identity.

4. Tools for Personal Development

• Mindset Journals – For tracking daily responsibility and reflections.

• Habit Tracking Apps (Streaks, HabitBull, Notion templates) – Build consistency and self-accountability.

• Resilience Assessments – Evaluate your mental adaptability and growth mindset.

5. Inspirational Quotes That Reinforce the Message

• “You are not finished when you lose; you are finished when you quit.” – Anonymous

• “Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses.” – George Washington Carver

• “The moment you take responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you gain the power to change anything.” – Hal Elrod

6. Practical Exercises for Readers

• Accountability Reflection:
Identify a recurring challenge and list what you can influence, control, or change.

• Failure Inventory:
Choose three past failures and extract one lesson from each—turn mistakes into momentum.

• Blame-to-Action Shift:
Rewrite a recent blame-filled thought into a statement of ownership:
“Here’s what I contributed. Here’s what I will do next time.”

Final Takeaway

You will fail many times in your life—and that’s not only normal, it’s necessary. What defines you is not the fall but your response to it. Stay curious, stay honest, and stay accountable.

Failure is an event. Blame is a choice. Ownership is your power.