People who avoid failure also avoid success Meaning Factcheck Usage

Context

In the book, this isn’t just a motivational platitude. It’s the central argument against the “go to school, get a safe job, and save money” script. Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad” teaches that financial intelligence requires taking calculated risks—like starting a business or investing—where failure is not only possible but is an expected and essential part of the learning process.

Usage Examples

You can use this quote as a powerful reframe in so many situations. Think about:

• Coaching a hesitant team member: “Look, I know this new strategy feels risky. But remember what Kiyosaki said about avoiding failure… Let’s prototype it, and if it fails, we’ll have learned exactly what not to do next time.”
• Advising a budding entrepreneur: “Your first venture might not be a home run, and that’s okay. The goal right now isn’t to avoid failure; it’s to learn. The success is on the other side of those lessons.”
• A personal mantra for your own projects: When you feel that familiar pull to play it safe, ask yourself: “Is my current action moving me toward success, or is it just helping me avoid a potential failure?” The answer is usually very revealing.

Common Questions

Question: Does this mean I should seek out failure?

Answer: Not at all. It means you should stop running from it. The goal is to pursue success with the understanding that failure is a possible, and often informative, pit stop along the way, not a dead end.

Question: What about in situations where failure has serious consequences, like in medicine or engineering?

Answer: That’s a great point. This principle applies most directly to domains of innovation, learning, and growth. In high-stakes fields, the “failure” is often moved into a controlled environment—like simulations, prototypes, and rigorous testing—where the cost of being wrong is low, but the learning is high.

Question: How do I get over the fear of failure?

Answer: You don’t “get over it.” You outgrow it. You start taking small, calculated risks where the downside is manageable. Each time you survive a small failure, you build evidence against the fear. You rewire your brain to see that the outcome you feared isn’t fatal; it’s feedback.